Livestreaming to be available for this final concert (visit link for stream and info)
The last concert of the Symphony of the Hills’ 20th anniversary season is the celebration of a first: The symphony’s first-ever performance from a Brahms symphony. The Symphony will present The Majesty of Brahms on April 29, at the Cailloux Theater.
Dr. Eugene Dowdy, Conductor and Artistic Director, considers the first movement of Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor a “powerful, evocative, and highly romantic” work.
“Johannes Brahms proved himself the heir to the throne of Beethoven,” Dowdy said. “Presenting this piece will be a spectacular accomplishment for our outstanding musicians. Anyone who loves orchestral music will want to be in the Cailloux Theater for this special performance.”
The concert will begin with a piece played by the symphony in their inaugural season 20 years ago—Rimsky-Korsakov’s Procession of the Nobles, which Dowdy calls “inspiring.”
That will be followed by the “rarely performed” Concerto for Four Violins by Antonio Vivaldi. It will feature four of the symphony’s own–concertmaster Phil Johnson, assistant conductor and principal second violin Pat Lee, assistant concertmaster Ryan Coppin, and symphony violinist Theresa Britt.
The concert will also include the unveiling of the concert line-up for the 2021-2022 season. According to Dr. Tim Summerlin, President of the Board, there is a sense of relief and hope that the next season will return to more normal performances as the country moves past the restrictions of the pandemic.
“This season has been a challenge, but a challenge well worth undertaking,” Summerlin said. “Working within appropriate health guidelines, we will have succeeded in bringing three great concerts to our Hill Country audience, and we have rescheduled our February concert for August 26, to complete our 20th season with a flourish. I cannot say enough good things about the commitment of Conductor Dowdy and the orchestra and the faithfulness of symphony fans.”
Mitigations followed all season will remain in place for the April 29 concert. They include presenting two shortened concerts at 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in order to allow distanced seating. The auditorium will be thoroughly sanitized between concerts, and there will be a reduced-size orchestra with barriers and extra ventilation in place. Masks will be required, and there is no wine reception.
Meeting the challenges of playing music in this environment is something the board, staff, and musicians all wanted to do.
“We want our musical offering be an inspiring reminder to our audience of the resilience and power of music to help us express and know our deepest emotions and hope,” Dowdy said. “We are confident that the power of music will help us complete our season safely and successfully, and prepare for an even greater new season.”
Details:
The Symphony of the Hills presents The Majesty of Brahms on April 29, at the Cailloux Theater. Performances are at 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.symphonyofthehills.org, or by calling (830) 792-7469. Tickets can also be purchased through the Cailloux Theater web site: caillouxperformingarts.com/symphony-of-the-hills/
This concert is sponsored by Broadway Bank and MacDonald Companies.
Livestreaming
Symphony of the Hills will make this concert available free to the public on Thursday, April 29, only. Streaming begins at 8:00 p.m. with the concert starting at 8:30. Streaming link will be posted online at www.symphonyofthehills.org, and the performance will be available during that time only. Access is free, although donations are welcome via the link on the web site.
