Features

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Administrative Staff and Musicians, I welcome you to another season of great performances by the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra. We are extremely excited about this season. The whole organization has worked hard to produce a selection of exciting music that appeals to a wide range of audiences and tastes. As such, we are asking all our friends and patrons to help us spread the word about the upcoming concerts and the captivating works we are offering this season. We would appreciate it so much if you would do so. Our musical journey this season will be one of fun cinema favorites, inspirational patriotic, Christmas traditions, and the romance of Valentine’s Day. The musicians and the Board of Directors of the MSO are truly excited to share with you a diverse and colorful menu of great symphonic works, the Big Band sound, and a night of Strings.  We welcome a season of great guest conductors that will engage you and present colorful portraits of music from all corners of the orchestral repertoire. Our journey cannot be complete without you, our audience. We are grateful for your support through your attendance, your enthusiastic applause and your generous financial gifts. All of the musicians, conductors and board members are touched by your generosity and enthusiasm. Thank you! Years ago, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said “music is the universal language of mankind.” We know this to be true.  So we invite–and ask you to invite–the members of our larger community to be a part of our symphony’s musical experience; where we use this universal language to communicate all things that are good. Again, thank you so much for your support.  We hope that you are inspired and revitalized by the time, music and art that we share together.   Jane E. McNulty President MSO Board of Directors

The Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra kicks off its first concert of the 2018-2019 season on Thursday, September 27th, at the First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro. This year’s theme for the five mainstage concerts is taken from your favorite movies. “We named the season Playing the Soundtrack of your Life, picking some of the most famous movie masterpieces over the last several generations,” said Jane McNulty, president of the board of directors of the Symphony. Why movie music for a symphony orchestra? Ms. McNulty said that a lot of people are not aware that cherished songs and music from their favorite movies came from classical composers, such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Strauss. The symphony will craftily connect the dots to these familiar tunes through this season’s concerts. A stunning season line-up starts with “Night at the Movies” featuring the introduction to 2001 a Space Odyssey, Tara Theme from Gone with the Wind, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Singing in the Rain along with more recent pieces such as Star Trek Through the Years and Suite from Jaws. The first concert is conducted by Dan Allcott who was part of the group of guest conductors for the Symphony last year, and who has conducted orchestras in Denmark, Texas, and Indiana to name a few. He currently serves on the faculty of Tennessee Tech in Cookeville where he is Director of Orchestras and Cello Studies. The second concert is “Around the World with MSO” which is a tribute to our military veterans and will be held November 9, 2018. Featuring patriotic pieces such as Yankee Doodle Dandy, God Bless America, Theme from Mash, and Stars and Stripes. The concert will have many special guests, including 1SG Richard Lutz, Melissa Mitchell and MC Potts, along with pianist Kelli Cox. The third and traditionally most popular concert of the season is “Christmas at the Movies” on December 13, 2018. It will be conducted by Elias Salazar who is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Trevecca Symphony Orchestra and Nashville Collegiate Orchestra. Mr. Salazar was also a guest conductor last year. Among the pieces to ring in the Christmas season is Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, The Polar Express, A Charlie Brown Christmas. In addition, Charlene Parkinson will conduct the Murfreesboro Symphony Chorus with more familiar movie tunes. The fourth concert “Love Songs Through the Movies” takes place February 14, 2019, on Valentine’s Day. This concert is conducted by Jordan Tang and will feature classics such as The Marriage of Figaro, Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet and Lara’s Theme to name a few. A perfect Valentine’s Day presentation. The fifth and final mainstage concert is “Night at the Movies – The Sequel”. It is scheduled for April 25, 2019, and will be conducted by César Leal, and will feature everything from Disney Tunes to the Sound of Music and more classical works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Paul Dukas and Amilcare Ponchielli to name a few.