Talented local musicians in spotlight at JSO concert

The Jackson Symphony Orchestra’s grand finale for the 2010-2011 season will feature six of the JSO’s regular orchestra members as soloists, plus the world premiere of Dr. Bruce Brown’s composition titled Conversations and Dreams.

Also on the program are Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, Joseph Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante, Charles Griffes’ Poem for Flute and Orchestra and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s overture to the opera Cosi fan tutte.

Soloists include principal flute, Richard Sherman, and other key members of the orchestra — Clyde McKaney, viola; Ji Hyun Kim, violin; Daniel Thomas, cello; Steven Newton, bassoon; and Jan Eberle, oboe.

Brown, who is composer-in-residence for the JSO, previewed portions his composition at the first four concerts of the season. The work has an unusual twist which is a secret until the performance.

“It has been most enjoyable to share the creative process with the audience this year and to have them looking over my shoulder as Conversations and Dreams took shape,” Dr. Brown said. “The piece grew out of my fascination with the ways that men and women communicate with each other, and sometimes fail to, despite their best intentions!”

“The first, third and fifth movements - Date Night, Shopping and Could It Be Love? — have some fun with conversation between men and women, which some have called a cross-cultural experience. As I worked with the music, the concept grew to include some things that I feel are among the most important in life,” Dr. Brown explained. “The Daydream movement explores our hopes, the secret things we long for and may be afraid even to tell our closest friends about. The Nightmare deals with our fears, the things we dread at our most vulnerable moments. The finale, Soaring, celebrates those joyous moments when we experience the healing and fulfilling power of love.”

The concert starts at 8 p.m. at the Potter Center at Jackson Community College. Titled Our Own Back Yard, this concert is one in a series featuring the many talented musicians who currently play in our orchestra or grew up in Jackson.

Willis & Jurasek, CPAs & Consultants, are sponsoring the concert. Melling Automotive is the sponsor for the guest artists.

Individual tickets for the May 7 concert are $18, $27, $32. They may be purchased online at www.JacksonSymphony.org; by phone at 517-782-3221; or in person at the JSO Box Office, 215 W. Michigan Ave., downtown Jackson. All ticket holders are invited to attend the complimentary and highly acclaimed pre-concert lecture that Dr. Brown hosts. Backstage Glimpses, sponsored by Allegiance Health, takes place at 7 p.m. in the Federer Rooms off the main floor lobby in the Potter Center.

NOTE: The Jackson Symphony Orchestra is a community resource providing performances of the classics and popular music, a community music school with private and group instruction and numerous educational programs for students of all ages. The organization owns a 30,000-square-foot facility in the heart of downtown Jackson which not only serves as an administrative, rehearsal, and recital performance space for the orchestra but also is home to the Jackson Youth Symphony, the Jackson Chorale and Children's Choir, the Michigan Shakespeare Festival and JSO Community String Ensemble. The orchestra primarily performs at the world-class Music Hall of the Jackson Community College Potter Center and other venues in town including several churches, the County Fairgrounds and Michigan Theatre.