Glacier Symphony, Orchestra and Chorale announce 2020/21 concert season
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News from the Glacier Symphony, Orchestra and Chorale
KALISPELL — As the saying goes ... “The show must go on!” Tickets and seating may be limited and other changes will have to be implemented to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, but nevertheless, the Glacier Symphony, Orchestra and Chorale is proud and excited to announce its planned 2020/21 concert season entitled, “20 Microcosms 21.”
The definition of “microcosm” is: “encapsulating in miniature the characteristic features of something much larger.” This gives a hint as to the nature of the season. In monitoring federal, state and local guidelines and recommendations to ensure the well-being of performers, staff, volunteers, and patrons, performances won’t be conducted in the usual way. But that is not a “negative” thing says John Zoltek, Music Director and Conductor. “Sometimes difficult circumstances allow for new opportunities. As Music Director, my solution to keep the GSC in action during this very uncertain time was to create a new type of series that allows for the exploration of both historic and new repertoires in new ways. A chamber orchestra of 20-25 musicians or less will allow for appropriate distancing on and off stage, creating new spaces for a different kind of performance presentation and ultimately for a fresh sound world to emerge, one that is more individually driven and transparent, like chamber music.”
Evidence of how well this approach has already been received was apparent on Aug. 15 when the GSC presented a concert fundraising event at Rebecca Farm with a small string orchestra and internationally acclaimed violinist, Will Hagen. Ron Osterbauer, Director of Operations and Development, explained, “The concert quickly sold out once tickets were offered and the response from attendees was overwhelmingly enthusiastic and positive. We couldn’t be more pleased that this new approach to bringing classical music to our area was so successful.”
The 20 microcosms 21 season will kick off on Sept. 26 and also include world-class guest soloists in several of its concerts: Rodolfo Leone, winner of the 2017 Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna, who will help celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven; GSC audience favorite, violinist Kinga Augustyn; and jazz vocalist, Halie Loren, who will perform at the spectacular Masquerade Gala in January of 2021. In addition, a special feature of the upcoming orchestral season is the highlighting of two of the orchestra’s longtime members as soloists – principal flutist, Beth Pirrie, and principal bassoonist, Alicia McLean-Brischli.
The season’s orchestral program selections will include everything from Classical era repertoire by Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn to modern composers: Aaron Copland (Appalachian Spring in the original 13-piece orchestra version); Charles Ives; Argentine, Astor Piazzola; and Seattle-based Uruguayan-American composer, Miguel del Águila.
The Glacier Symphony Chorale will present choral selections from the popular Handel’s Messiah in three area churches in December and also an all-choral concert in November with three smaller chamber choirs. Chorale Conductor, Dr. Micah Hunter, has planned a program for that concert that he says, “presents a set of music spanning many genres and periods of history. This beautiful choral music captures and presents many of the fundamental elements that define these genres and periods of history, creating portraits in time for our audience.”
Tickets for the 20 microcosms 21 concerts will be limited to a set number in each venue, to be determined by COVID-19 guidelines as it gets closer to concert time. Those COVID-19 guidelines will also be observed at all concerts. Only pre-concert reserved seating will be sold. There will be no tickets sold at the door. Single tickets for the 20 microcosms 21 season go on sale on Friday, Sept. 4. Single tickets and packages can be purchased by calling the box office at 406- 407-7000. Due to social distancing concerns, there will be no online tickets sales from the website this year, but more specific information for each concert can be found on the website: glaciersymphony.org.
“We hope you will find the 20 microcosms 21 experience intriguing and ultimately enjoyable. It will prove to be an alternative way of exploring both familiar and new music in unique concert performances,” says Maestro Zoltek. He further recommends, “Be sure to order your tickets early before they are sold out. You’ll not want to miss a single concert.”
For more information call: 406-407-7000 or email: nancy@gscmusic.org
