AREA HAPPENINGS: Ashland Symphony Orchestra concert, art exhibition at Ashland University
Ashland Symphony Orchestra presents 'Champs-Élysées to Broadway'
Ashland Symphony Orchestra will present “Champs-Élysées to Broadway” on Saturday, Jan. 22, at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Robert M. and Janet L. Archer Auditorium.
The ASO is auditioning five candidates for the position of music director/conductor. Each will program and conduct a concert during the 2021-22 season.
Michael Repper is both the conductor and the featured soloist for this program. For the French connection, he has selected one of Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Paris Symphonies”: Symphony No.83, G minor (La Poule; The Hen). Then he brings us back across the Atlantic to Broadway with Made in America by Joan Tower and Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, arranged by Iain Farrington, and with Mr. Repper at the piano. This program is presented without intermission.
Repper has earned a reputation for his ability to engage and excite audiences across all spectrums. As the music director of the New York Youth Symphony, which he leads at Carnegie Hall, and the Northern Neck Orchestra of Virginia, he has a dedicated record of building communities committed to the shared spirit of music. With regular guest conductor engagements with the Baltimore Symphony and other orchestras worldwide, Repper has established himself in the United States and abroad as a strong voice within the symphonic field, and a champion of new and diverse musical talents. An avid pianist, he regularly performs as a soloist alongside his orchestras and choruses, and as an orchestral player as well. Most recently, he played in the Chicago Symphony for their performances of Bernstein’s Mass, which was broadcast on PBS Great Performances.
In addition to the 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in-person performances, this program will be available to stream on demand from Jan. 28 to Feb. 26. Tickets for live and virtual concerts are $24 for adults, $21 for seniors, and $5 for children and students and may be purchased at the ASO office 419-289-5115 located at 331 College Ave, or on line at ashlandsymphony.org. Sampler ticket packages (three concerts of your choice) are still available. Use code ASO2022 when purchasing tickets on-line for the in-person concerts and pay just $20.22 for adult or senior tickets.
At this time, the ASO is requiring all patrons to wear masks. Patrons may also request socially distanced seats at the time of purchase. For announcements regarding any changes to these performances due to the ongoing pandemic, call 419-289-5115 or visit the website.
Art + Design Department Faculty Exhibition
The Art + Design Department Faculty Exhibition will open at Ashland University’s Coburn Gallery on Thursday, Jan. 20, with a reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The exhibition runs through Feb. 17.
This annual exhibition – featuring the works of Keith Dull, Priscilla Roggenkamp, Dan McDonald, Cynthia Petry and Michael Bird -- highlights the two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of the current faculty as professional artists exhibiting in their prospective areas. The Art + Design department faculty pursue active studio careers in addition to their teaching endeavors.
The Coburn Gallery is open from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. weekdays and noon to 4 p.m. weekends. Gallery admission is free and open to the public. Face masks are required as part of AU’s COVID-19 protocols.
For more information about the exhibition, call 419-289-5652 or find the gallery on Facebook.
Kingwood Center Storybook Trail
The Storybook Trail at Kingwood Center Gardens is featuring a new book titled "Good Night, Bat! Good Morning, Squirrel!" This delightful picture book from Geisel Honor-winning author-illustrator Paul Meisel tells the story of a lonely bat who thinks he has found a perfect home — until he discovers that it's already inhabited by a persnickety squirrel. Squirrel does her best to oust her unexpected guest by leaving notes, but Bat misunderstands and thinks she is happy about the new guest and wants to be friends. Friendship eventually blooms as they find common ground despite humorous miscommunications and outward differences.
The Storybook Trail is open during regular winter garden hours, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and is located along the Nature Trail that begins at the Peacock Playhouse. General admission is $5 for 13 years and older; admission is free for children 12 years and younger, and for Kingwood members.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: AREA HAPPENINGS: Ashland Symphony Orchestra concert, AU art exhibit
