News - Omaha Symphony

	ALL Omaha Symphony 2010/11 Tickets On Sale Friday, August 27 (8/12/2010) The Omaha Symphony is thrilled to announce that tickets to all 2010/11 performances will go on sale to the public Friday, August 27. While subscription packages have been available for purchase since early spring, this will be the first opportunity for patrons to buy tickets on a per-concert basis. To reserve the best seats to the best shows in town, call the Omaha Symphony Box Office at 402.342.3560 (open M-F, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) or order online at www.omahasymphony.org.
	Omaha Symphony wins ASCAP's Leonard Bernstein Award for Educational Programming (6/21/2010) The Omaha Symphony is thrilled to be the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award for Education Programming, given by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). Named after the celebrated late conductor, this national honor is awarded to an orchestra that integrates contemporary music into its educational programming, and whose offerings are “creative, relevant, and based on the best practices of music education.”
	Led Zeppelin tunes make for high-energy finish for orchestra (6/10/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Music with the Masters: New Music Symposium (6/8/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Retirement won't end his tunes (6/8/2010) By Julie Anderson (Omaha World-Herald)
	Pink Martini's founder put political dreams on ice to make music (6/3/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	2009/10 Season comes to high-energy, hard rock finish with The Music of Led Zeppelin (5/31/2010) Audiences will hear Zeppelin hits like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” and more, performed by the dynamic Jeans N’ Classics rock band, lead singer Michael Shotton, and the full Omaha Symphony.
	Symphony will hold free "Patriotic Pops" concert (5/28/2010) By Kim Bousquet (Council Bluffs Nonpareil)
	Celebrate Memorial Day weekend with free Omaha Symphony concert! (5/27/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Young composers trained & celebrated at New Music Symposium June 1-3 (5/17/2010) With competition like Mozart and Beethoven, it’s not always easy for young composers to get their music heard in concert halls these days. It can be a struggle to get hands-on experience working alongside a professional orchestra. The Omaha Symphony’s cutting-edge New Music Symposium provides vital enrichment experiences for talented young composers: the rare opportunity to test their skills in a real-life laboratory setting and the privilege of working directly with established music mentors and teams of musicians from the Omaha Symphony.
	REVIEW: Beethoven finale marks triumphant end for season (5/15/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	My 5: James Compton, Omaha Symphony Principal Bassoonist (5/8/2010) James Compton looks more like a member of the Allman Brothers Band than a classical virtuoso. But you have to hear him play bassoon for only five seconds to know he’s one of the best wind players in the business. Compton, 48, has been principal bassoonist with the Omaha Symphony for the past 21 years. These are his five favorite things, on and off the stage.
	OWH Concert Preview: "Composing this piece kept Beethoven going" (5/6/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	All-Beethoven program features famous Fifth Symphony and rising star violinist (5/4/2010) Experience the most influential classical piece ever written, as the Omaha Symphony presents Beethoven’s Fifth May 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center. This all-Beethoven concert marks the final MasterWorks program of the Omaha Symphony’s 2009/10 season.
	Omaha Symphony presents FREE outdoor concert over Memorial Day weekend (5/3/2010) Experience the excitement and beauty of live orchestral music for FREE! You’re invited to spend part of your Memorial Day weekend with the Omaha Symphony at a free outdoor concert in Council Bluffs.
	REVIEW: Golden oldies flow when Omaha Symphony, quartet team up (5/2/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	OWH Preview: Motown Tribute celebrates vintage sound (4/29/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	REVIEW: Photos underline orchestra's "virtuosic" music (4/24/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	After 7+ years of leadership and service, Hallam resigns (4/22/2010)
	Technology adds another dimension to all-American concert (4/22/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Take a musical stroll down memory lane with fun, feel-good Motown Tribute (4/19/2010) Love Motown? You won’t want to miss the Omaha Symphony’s Motown Tribute April 30-May 2 at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Spectrum, an acclaimed male vocal quartet, will sing soulful classics by Motown legends. Hear hits like “My Girl,” “Under the Boardwalk,” and “Soul Man,” accompanied by the beautiful and powerful sounds of the live orchestra.
	Relive history through stunning images and iconic American music (4/13/2010) Relive history through stunning photochoreography and iconic American music, as the Omaha Symphony presents “All-American Fanfare” April 23 and 24 at 8 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center. This soaring, passionate program includes popular works by beloved composers Aaron Copland (his Third Symphony and Lincoln Portrait) and Leonard Bernstein (Candide Suite).
	Symphony aims high with space-themed program (4/8/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Kid-friendly "Peter and the Wolf" features storytelling through music, dance (4/2/2010) Adventure awaits local families this Sunday, April 11 at the Holland Center, as the Omaha Symphony teams up with KETV’s Rob McCartney and professional dancers to tell the story of Peter and the Wolf.
	Omaha Symphony hosts international MOLA conference (4/1/2010) The Omaha Symphony hosts the 28th annual Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA) conference April 9-12 at the Embassy Suites in downtown Omaha. Performance librarians—who acquire, prepare, catalogue, and maintain the music for professional performance ensembles—will converge in Omaha for continuing education and communication with their colleagues.
	Omaha Symphony concertmaster Amy Sims departing (3/31/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Sims departing to pursue musical dream (3/31/2010) After 10 years as Omaha Symphony concertmaster, Amy Sims has announced she will not be returning for the 2010/11 season.
	NASA video, space-themed classics will take audience on "A Space Odyssey" (3/29/2010) Fun, familiar pieces from Star Wars, Star Trek, and E.T. will take audience members on an out-of-this-world musical journey, ending with Gustav Holst’s The Planets.
	REVIEW: Flute concerto's beauty belies tragic inspiration (3/27/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Omaha Symphony to premiere "Trail of Tears" concerto (3/25/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	World premiere flute concerto gets a final tuneup (3/25/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Nearly 3500 elementary students play with the professionals (3/18/2010) By Carol Bicak (Omaha World-Herald)
	Omaha Symphony will perform World Premiere of Daugherty Flute Concerto (3/15/2010) Omaha concertgoers will have the extraordinary opportunity to experience a world premiere on March 26 and 27, when composer Michael Daugherty’s Trail of Tears concerto for flute and orchestra debuts with flutist Amy Porter and the Omaha Symphony.
	Irish group cherishes its successes (3/11/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Thousands of local kids play along with Omaha Symphony at Carnegie Hall's LinkUP! program (3/8/2010) This St. Patrick’s Day, nearly 3,500 local students will share the spotlight with the Omaha Symphony! Playing recorders, string instruments, and singing, young learners will get to experience the thrill of working together to perform live music.
	Celebrate St. Patrick's Weekend with Cherish the Ladies (2/25/2010) “It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do”: a Boston Globe critic’s praise for Cherish the Ladies, the first and only all-female Irish band. The New York Times says the band “expands the annals of Irish music in America…the music is passionate, tender, and rambunctious!”
	Beatles tribute sells out Holland Center (2/22/2010) Imagine the Beatles playing in concert with a live orchestra. What would that have sounded like? Thousands will find out when the Classical Mystery Tour rocks the Holland Center Saturday, March 6 at 8 PM. This tribute sensation combines a full rock band, a full orchestra, singers with uncanny visual and vocal resemblance, and the Beatles’ songbook of hits!
	Principal flutist holds masterclass, recital at UNK (2/22/2010) By Jessica Kenyon (The Antelope, University of Nebraska-Kearney)
	Fame? Tesh doesn't care to talk about it (2/11/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	REVIEW: All Mozart, all the time with the Omaha Symphony (2/6/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Pianist to play concerto with "real romantic soul" (2/4/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Young musicians learn important lessons at the Holland Center (2/4/2010) By John Keenan, Omaha World-Herald
	John Tesh concert to share music & "intelligence for your life" (2/1/2010) Emmy Award winner, Grammy Award nominee, and gold-selling recording artist John Tesh joins the Omaha Symphony for a live concert experience that includes music, dance, intense emotions, and laughter at the Holland Performing Arts Center Valentine’s weekend, February 12-14.
	All-Mozart program features popular works of genius & beauty (1/25/2010) On February 5 and 6, the Omaha Symphony presents The Music of Mozart at the Holland Center, honoring a true master whose work resonates in the human heart like no other. “Mozart’s music is like an X-ray of the soul. It shows what is there, and what isn’t,” said Isaac Stern, violin virtuoso.
	Calling all Dancing Queens! ABBA-Mania to rock Holland Center (1/19/2010) Experience ABBA’s catchy pop hits in a whole new way, as four dynamic singers are backed by a live band and symphony orchestra. As younger generations discover ABBA through Mamma Mia!, the Broadway show and movie, it’s clear their effervescent melodies have staying power!
	Educator as Maestro: Some big-time podium time (1/16/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Children should bring imaginations to concert (1/15/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Scheherazade: Let the story captivate you as it did the Sultan (1/14/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Omaha Symphony goes "Looney" with Bugs Bunny on Broadway (1/11/2010) The Omaha Symphony is going “Looney” on January 23 and 24 with “Bugs Bunny on Broadway,” the critically-acclaimed concert which showcases the world’s most beloved classic Warner Bros. Studios cartoons projected on the big screen overhead, while their original film scores are performed live, in perfect synchronization by the Omaha Symphony. Emmy Award-winning Conductor George Daugherty will lead the orchestra as they take the Holland Center stage January 23 and 24.
	Maestro explores music & motivation at "Driving Forces" (1/7/2010) Join Maestro Thomas Wilkins as he conducts and hosts Driving Forces Sunday, January 17 at 2 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center. This family concert was put together with kids in mind, focusing on fun, fast-paced music that sparks imagination and inspiration.
	Parents instrumental in trumpeter's musical path (1/7/2010) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Exotic music tale of Scheherazade promises to heat up the Holland Center (1/5/2010) The Omaha Symphony is thrilled to present Scheherazade January 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Rimsky-Korsakov’s masterpiece is his musical interpretation of “Arabian Nights,” the fable of a ruthless Sultan and Scheherazade, a cunning storyteller who saves her own life through spellbinding tales.
	REVIEW: Symphony soars above shows of recent past (12/19/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Christmas treat returns with songs, skits, and strings (12/17/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Fresh talent shines, seasonal favorites sparkle at Christmas with the Symphony (12/4/2009) Four Broadway singing stars, nine professional dancers direct from New York City, dozens of lush, local voices, a kickline of dancing Santas, and one of the Midwest’s finest orchestras: all these elements will come together to present Christmas with the Symphony, Omaha’s beloved holiday tradition, December 18-20 at the Holland Performing Arts Center.
	Symphony assistants get the spotlight at Chamber concert (12/3/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Sound body, beautiful sounds (11/23/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Review: Symphony puts 'pow' in patriotic program (11/21/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	"Patriotic Pops concerts a tribute to America's conductor" (11/19/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	OWH Review: Violinist elevates Mendelssohn's concerto (11/14/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Contract agreement reached (11/13/2009) The Omaha Symphony Association (OSA) and the Omaha Symphony Musicians’ Association, represented by Local No. 70-558 of the American Federation of Musicians, are pleased to announced they have reached an agreement in their contract negotiations.
	Angela Cassette appointed General Manager at Omaha Symphony (11/12/2009) The Omaha Symphony announces that Angela Cassette has been appointed General Manager, effective November 9. She began her tenure with the orchestra in July 2008 as Operations Manager, and has served in an interim General Manager capacity since April 2009.
	Classic American songs, Broadway vocalists shine at 'Patriotic Celebration' (11/10/2009) The Omaha Symphony is ringing in its first Pops Series concert of the season with a celebration of great American music and talent! Patriotic Celebration will salute the Star and Stripes with a refreshing mix of Broadway show tunes and classic American anthems. Hear favorites like “God Bless the U.S.A.,” “Tie A Yellow Ribbon,” “Let Freedom Ring,” and the Armed Forces Salute November 20-22 at the Holland Center.
	Hundreds of teens showcase talent, hard work in Omaha Symphony performance (11/9/2009) What do you get when you bring together one symphony orchestra, four professional opera singers, and seven high school choirs? The answer – Choral Collaborative.
	Moonlighting becomes trend for conductors (11/7/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Fine arts students stretch skills outside their schools (11/5/2009) By John Keenan (Omaha World-Herald)
	Violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman tries conducting, teaching (11/5/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Sweet sounds of violin showcased at 'Mendelssohn's Masterpiece' (11/2/2009) With music like Mendelssohn’s beloved Violin Concerto in its arsenal, it’s no wonder the violin is such a popular instrument. Romantic and riveting, Mendelssohn’s piece allows the violinist to show off their skills while showcasing the instrument’s full range of emotion.
	Tick-Tock: Wilkins conducts "The Clock" (10/29/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Itzhak Perlman-the premier violinist of our time-to perform with Omaha Symphony (10/26/2009) Itzhak Perlman, undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, will perform with the Omaha Symphony November 7 at 8 p.m. at the Holland Center. Perlman will play several crowd-pleasing pieces by Mozart, Kreisler, and John Williams.
	Omaha Symphony teams up with ConAgra for holiday food drive (10/25/2009)
	Grade schoolers get in tune with classics at Mission: Imagination (10/24/2009) By Carol Bicak (Omaha World-Herald)
	"Musician hits the right notes with kids" (10/22/2009) By John Keenan (Omaha World-Herald)
	Lights! Camera! Orchestra! as NEW series debuts (10/13/2009) Get in the Halloween spirit with the Omaha Symphony at Phantom of the Opera on October 24 at 8 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Concertgoers will watch the classic 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney on a big screen above the orchestra.
	Classic Stones tunes mesh with orchestra (10/8/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	"Playing was never such hard work as at an audition" (10/4/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Symphony helps celebrate 10 years of performances (10/1/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Hundreds of local schoolchildren learn & play along with Omaha Symphony (9/30/2009) On October 7 and 8, the Omaha Symphony will present its Mission: Imagination education program to nearly 500 students from Nebraska and Iowa. Mission: Imagination allows learners age 4-3rd grade to get "up close and personal" with the orchestra, teaching them about basic musical concepts and individual instruments in an entertaining, interactive way.
	"Let's Spend the Night Together": Rolling Stones music will rock Holland Center (9/28/2009) “Satisfaction” is guaranteed as Hot Rocks—the premier Rolling Stones tribute band—and the Omaha Symphony present “Let’s Spend the Night Together” Saturday, October 10 at 8 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center.
	My 5 Favorite Things: Thomas Wilkins (9/28/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Review: Pianist wows with grace and ferocity (9/28/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	Practice enables pianist to tame tough concertos (9/24/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald) "Pianist Kirill Gerstein is touring the world with a trio of grizzly bears. Make that three utterly ferocious, feral piano concertos."
	Fiendishly difficult concerto, folk music kick off 2009/10 season (9/17/2009) The Omaha Symphony is ready to wow audiences with a season opener that is as difficult as it is delightful. Passport to Russia, the first program of the 2009/10 season, showcases spirited Russian folk melodies and Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, commonly known as the most demanding piece ever written for piano.
	Big names pepper schedules (9/13/2009) By John Pitcher (Omaha World-Herald)
	"Thomas Wilkins a classical case of beating the odds" (9/11/2009) By Greg Braxton (Los Angeles Times)
	Kunzel dies of cancer; Krajewski will guest conduct in Omaha Nov. 20-22 (9/1/2009) Cincinnati Pops conductor Erich Kunzel, scheduled to headline the Omaha Symphony’s Patriotic Celebration November 20-22, passed away this morning after a four-month battle with cancer of the pancreas, liver, and colon. Honoring Maestro Kunzel’s wishes, all concerts he was scheduled to conduct during the 2009/10 season—in Cincinnati and beyond— will move forward. Michael Krajewski will now conduct the Omaha Symphony’s first Pops performance of the season.
	Maestro on the Mound: Richardson throws out first pitch for Omaha Royals (9/1/2009) You normally see him at the podium of the Holland Performing Arts Center, but on Thursday night, the Omaha Symphony’s Maestro is at the plate! Resident Conductor Ernest Richardson will throw the first pitch at the Omaha Royals’ last home game of the season.
	Omaha Symphony Guild celebrates local arts scene with Music & Masterpieces (8/27/2009) Music & Masterpieces, created as the Omaha Symphony Guild’s fall fundraiser, is now one of the area’s premier public art events. On September 3 and 17, we invite community members to Rockbrook Village where they can view and purchase the work of talented local artists. In addition to beautiful, one-of-a-kind art pieces, attendees will enjoy live music, delicious food and drink catered by Rockbrook merchants, interactive demonstrations, a silent art auction, and more!