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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2010
MEDIA CONTACT
Carrie Marrett
Director of Marketing
Evansville philharmonic Orchestra presents opening night with blue jean twist
Evansville, IN - The Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra's 2010-2011 "Out of This World" season begins with an Opening Night tribute to American music entitled "Red, White & Blue Jeans" on Saturday, September 11 at 8:00 p.m. at the Victory Theatre. This year, concert attendees are encouraged to wear blue jeans as part of this American celebration. The program includes music by American composers Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, and George Gershwin and features Grammy-awarding winning violinist and composer Mark O'Connor and violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins.
Following the "Red, White & Blue Jeans" Pre-Concert Celebration held at Casino Aztar's Events Plaza, sponsored by the Evansville Courier & Press, the orchestra takes the Victory stage dressed in their best denim. The Opening Night Concert: "Red, White & Blue Jeans" begins with the "Star-Spangled Banner" and a presentation of colors by Cub Scout Pack, Boy Scout Troop, Varsity Team, Venturing Crew and Sea Scout Ship 312. The concert continues with a performance of Charles Ives' clever Variations on "America". Then Mark O'Connor joins the orchestra for six movements of "Strings and Threads Suite", a duet O'Connor composed which won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Performance. Next, violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins joins Mr. O'Connor and the orchestra for a performance of O'Connor's own Double Violin Concerto, displaying a fusion of American styles including Dixieland.
Following intermission, the orchestra will perform Aaron Copland's folksy "Appalachian Spring", and George Gershwin's colorful "An American in Paris". Immediately following the concert, the entire audience is invited to enjoy a dessert reception in the lobbies hosted by the Philharmonic's Crescendo Club. "Red, White & Blue Jeans" is sponsored by Atlas Van Lines. The guest artists' appearances are sponsored by the Martha & Merritt deJong Foundation.
Season and single tickets are on sale now. Season tickets may be purchased by calling the Philharmonic Box Office at (812) 425 - 5050. Single tickets to all Philharmonic events may be purchased by calling the Box Office or ordering online at http://www.evansvillephilharmonic.org/. Based on availability, Student Rush tickets may be purchased for Opening Night one hour prior to the performance for $13. Student ID is required.
About the guest artists:
A product of America's rich aural folk tradition, as well as classical music, Mark O'Connor's creative journey began at the feet of a pair of musical giants: folk fiddler Benny Thomasson and French jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli. Over the years, he has performed with a vast range of artists from Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs to Yo-Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer. Now, at age 49, he has melded and shaped his musical influences into a new American Classical music, and a vision of an entirely American school of string playing. As The Los Angeles Times recently noted, he has "crossed over so many boundaries, that his style is purely personal." Mr. O'Connor is the founder and president of the internationally recognized Mark O'Connor String Camp, held each summer in New York City and in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Ms. Hall-Tompkins began her violin studies at age nine. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree with honors in violin performance from the Eastman School of Music. She earned a Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music under the mentorship of Glenn Dicterow, concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. While there, she was concertmaster of both of the school's orchestras. In 1999 she was appointed to the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra's First Violin section. Ms. Hall-Tompkins was winner of a 2003 Naumburg International Violin Competition Honorarium Prize. In 2007 Ms. Hall-Tompkins became the concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of New York which performed its debut concert in Carnegie's Zankel Hall with Ms. Hall-Tompkins also as soloist. In the winter of 2007, Ms. Hall-Tompkins was invited by actress Mia Farrow and conductor George Matthew to be soloist in Carnegie Hall for a Benefit for the Victims of Darfur, hosted by Ms. Farrow. A passionate chamber musician and humanitarian, Ms. Hall-Tompkins founded and currently directs a charity series called Music Kitchen-Food for the Soul, bringing chamber music performances to NYC Homeless Shelters.
About the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra:
The Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra is the largest arts institution in the Tri-State area. Throughout its 76 year history, the Philharmonic has been committed to providing high-quality music education, outreach and entertainment programs for the entire Tri-State. It is dedicated to sharing the powerful experience of live symphonic music with everyone, from pre-schoolers to the elderly.
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