ASHLAND — The Ashland Symphony Orchestra concert season opens on Saturday, Sept. 14 with “And the Symphony said, Amen!”
Grammy Award winning Music Director and conductor Michael Repper will conduct Amen! by Carlos Simon, Faust Overture by Emilie Mayer, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and Sheep May Safely Graze by Johann Sebastian Bach, and Symphony No. 5 (Reformation) by Felix Mendelssohn.
Join us at the Robert M. & Janet L. Archer Auditorium for the preconcert talk at 6:50 p.m. and performance at 7:30 p.m.
Opening with Amen!, this is Simon’s re-creation of the exuberant, outward musical expressions of worship in the African American Pentecostal church.
Emilie Mayer’s overture was inspired by Goethe’s monumental play, Faust.
Mayer’s choice to interpret Goethe’s work through music allowed her to engage in a purely instrumental form, showcasing her ability to convey narrative through orchestral color and texture.
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring is celebrated for its lyrical beauty and profound emotional impact, and Sheep May Safely Graze is renowned for its serene and pastoral character, capturing the essence of the Baroque ideal of reflective and comforting music.
The concert concludes with Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.5 which stands out for its inventive orchestration and its incorporation of the Lutheran hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” into the symphonic framework.
Season subscriptions and individual tickets are on sale by visiting the website www.ashlandsymphony.org, calling 419-289-5115 or visiting the office located at 331 College Avenue, and at the door starting one-hour before the downbeat.
Child and student tickets are free with the purchase of adult or senior tickets and discounted tickets are available for persons receiving EBT, SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid.
The ASO is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and is proudly sponsored by Robert M. and Janet L. Archer, Samaritan Hospital Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, and many local businesses and individuals.