Reading Eagle: RSO announces 2022-2023 season; Josh Ritter booked for Miller Center

Feb. 27—The Reading Symphony Orchestra has announced the lineup for its 2022-2023 season, taking place at the Santander Performing Arts Center.

Celebrating its 110th season, the RSO will be bringing internationally acclaimed guest artists to the stage. Favorites include pianists Jon Kimura Parker and Terrence Wilson; cellist Zlatomir Fung; gold medalist of the Tchaikovsky International Cello Competition, violinist Keila Wakao; first prize junior winner of the Menuhin International Violin Competition, percussion soloist Lisa Pegher; and Bandoneon performer JP Jofre.

The season will include many of the most popular orchestral works, including Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, Beethoven Symphony No. 7, Brahms Symphony No. 4, Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Holst's The Planets.

The New Year's Eve concert will feature the ABBA tribute band Arrival, and the spring pops concert will showcase two of Broadway's top performers, Lisa Vroman and Doug LaBrecque, in Classic Broadway.

Here is the schedule:

REGULAR SEASON

Sept. 24: Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1

Nov. 5: Holst, The Planets

Jan. 21, 2023: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons

March 4, 2023: Brahms, Symphony No. 4

April 1, 2023: A London Symphony

May 20, 2023: Three Cornered Hat

POPS PERFORMANCES

Dec. 31: Arrival presents the music of ABBA, with the Reading Symphony Orchestra

April 29, 2023: Classic Broadway

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 610-373-7557 or visit www.readingsymphony.org.

Music

In advance of the Reading Symphony Orchestra concert being held March 12 at the Santander Performing Arts Center, the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture, in cooperation with the RSO, will present a Know Your Symphony Lecture on Wednesday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. at The Highlands, 2000 Cambridge Ave., Wyomissing. The lecturer will be Andrew Constantine, music director of the RSO. The fee for the lecture is $5, payable at the door. For more information, call 610-396-6620.

----Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter, known for his sharp wit and expressive lyrics, will present a solo acoustic concert May 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Miller Center at Reading Area Community College.

Ritter has built a loyal following since emerging on the scene in 2000 with his self-titled debut album, all the way to now with his most recent album, "Fever Breaks" (2019), which pushes the boundaries of folk and Americana music.

Ritter is excited to finally be able to return to the stage in a way that is more intimate for his fans, so that he can share some of his quieter, more narrative songs that he doesn't usually get to share at a rock show.

The New York Times said of Ritter, "Harking back to Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and maybe a little Mark Knopfler, Mr. Ritter has always been a slinger of serious ideas and high-flown imagery."

TIckets are priced at $39 and $54 and can be purchased at millercenter.racc.edu/josh-ritter.

----The Reading Choral Society, under the direction of Dr. Graham Bier and accompanied by the Ringgold Band, will present "Musicalseum: If Exhibits Could Sing" on Friday and Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Reading Public Museum.

The members of RCS and Ringgold Band will be spread throughout the galleries of the museum for this performance where the musicians stay in place while audience members pass through the exhibits at their own pace. The music was created specifically to reflect the current exhibits in the museum. As the listener moves through the museum, they catch fragments and thoughts about the exhibits in each gallery.

Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for students at readingchoral.org. This is a timed ticket event, with arrival times spaced out between 7 and 8:30. Only a small number of tickets will be available at the door each night.

Professional wrestling

WWE SmackDown returns to Santander Arena, Reading, on April 23, with Universal Champion Roman Reigns defending his title against Drew McIntyre in a Universal Championship Match, plus appearances by The New Day, Sheamus, The Usos, Charlotte Flair and many more. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com starting at $15.