Symphony opening season with noted female concertmaster
Oct. 4—On Saturday, the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra will open its 91st season with a night of beautiful music with world-class talent.
Award-winning violinist Robyn Bollinger will serve as guest artist for the season opener at Mechanics Bank Theater.
Bollinger wowed local audiences performing with the orchestra in 2019, and she returns to Bakersfield as the youngest female concertmaster in the United States, earning the prestigious position as concertmaster with the world-class Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
The violinist is considered to be at the forefront of classical music with a style described as daring, versatile, and charismatic.
She is set to perform Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 at the concert, which will also include the energetic overture to Glinka's opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila" and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, an audience favorite.
Conductor Stilian Kirov, who begins his eighth season with the symphony, looks forward to the concert and upcoming season.
"It is such a joy to continue working with our Bakersfield Symphony and building our orchestra to new unprecedented artistic and administrative heights," he said in a news release. "We have a fantastic season planned with outstanding, beautiful music and world-class guest artists. There is no better way to kick off our 2022-23 season than with brilliant violinist Robyn Bollinger, who is a dear friend of our orchestra and our community. I am so proud of our administrative team, our musicians and what we are achieving together."
Doors open at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at Mechanics Bank Theater, 1001 Truxtun Ave. An optional preconcert lecture will be held at 5:30 p.m. before the concert begins at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets start at $30. For more information, visit BSOnow.org or call 661-323-7928.
