“The Shreveport Symphony Orchestra has a busy season ahead of them full of blazing performances, triumphant film scores and interactive community outreach programs,” writes Tiana Kennell in Thursday’s (8/24) Shreveport Times (Louisiana). The season will open on September 16 with Music Director Michael Butterman leading Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, with the Centenary College Chorus, and 2015 Wideman International Piano Competition winner Aristo Sham in Schumann’s Piano Concerto. “The season also includes a few new initiatives and programs. And … ‘We have great news that we have new [three-year] collective bargaining agreement with the musicians and the stagehands,’ said executive director Lois Robinson…. The 2017-18 season will have variety… For the youngest musicians, Sym-Phonics partners a symphonic musician with a storyteller … a collaboration with the local library systems… Young performing artists will have the opportunity to see all of the SSO season shows while learning the ropes of managing the house in the Junior Usher Program. [The SSO’s new Senior Symphony program] ‘is a whole suite of activities for senior citizens,’ Robinson said…. In addition … they’re teaming with select local book clubs… Club members will be eligible for deep discounts on concert tickets for what they’re calling ‘Book Club Night at the Symphony.’ ”
Posted August 25, 2017
Pictured: The Shreveport Symphony Orchestra’s Sym-Phonics program in action. The program is designed for children up to five years old and pairs symphonic musicians with storytellers in partnership with local libraries.
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