'Beloved Baroque' heralds 78th season for Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
Aug. 23—JACKSON — Mississippi Symphony Orchestra will kick off its 78th season early next month with the return of its popular "Beloved Baroque" concert.
The long-running orchestra will open its latest season on Saturday, Sept. 10, with a selection of the Baroque era's most popular music, along with a few musical surprises to welcome music-lovers to the vibrant season ahead. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral in Jackson.
Jenny Mann, president and executive director of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, said she's especially thrilled for audiences to see — and hear — what the orchestra has in store for them this year.
"I'm very excited by the expanse of the programming this year," Mann, who is approaching her first full season with MSO, said. "I truly believe there is something for every listener, in every concert that we have this season."Book-ended by the celebratory sound of brass, this first Chamber Series concert opens with the flourish of Gabrieli's Canzon Duodecemi Toni performed by the MSO Brass Quintet and finishes on the supremely happy note of Torelli's Sinfonia in D, G. 4 led by soloist Darcie Bishop, longtime principal trumpet.
Bishop is also featured in Mouret's hugely famous Rondeau from Premiere Suite des Symphonies, made even more recognizable as the theme for PBS's Masterpiece Theatre."Brass instruments are always uplifting and a joy to hear," Mann said. "But this is such an engaging group of strong musicians that it's a wonderful opportunity to really see what they do, and hear some great music." The intimate nature of chamber concerts brings it all up close and personal.In-between the brass, a quartet of soloists — Shellie Brown Kemp, Xie Song, Vince Massimino and Milena Rusanova — shine in the spotlight, in Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins, in D. The program continues to continent-hop across Western Europe with Handel's Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 9, in F, selections from Rameau's Les Fêtes d'Hébé and Torelli's Concerto Grosso, Op. 5, No. 6.Baroque music was the popular music of its day back in the 17th and 18th centuries, and much like today's pop tunes, has bits of melody that keep coming back around. "There's always something to hold on to for a listener ... and I think that's kind of fun," Mann said. "It's almost like an adventure, finding those musical cues and connecting with those pieces over and over again." She hopes listeners "take home a feeling of joy and a real connection to these musicians."Tickets to the Beloved Baroque chamber concert are $25 general admission and $5 for students kindergarten through college. Advance tickets will be available soon online at www.msorchestra.com.Late August and early September also mark yearly recruitment for the MSO Strings Program in public elementary schools in Jackson, Clinton and Hinds County districts.
"I have a quest," said Alex Encinas, MSO education director. "I believe there is some Mozart somewhere among these students that needs to be found."
One of his recruits, Casey Macklin, is now on scholarship at the University of Southern Mississippi and has reached the point of subbing for Encinas as an MSO professional.
"One of my Mozarts," Encinas said of Macklin. "I found one. I need to find 1,000 more."
