2:05 p.m., March 21, 2003--The sounds of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra can be heard at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 12, in Mitchell Hall. The orchestra, conducted by Grant Cooper, will feature soloist Olga Kern, 2001 Van Cliburn Piano Competition Gold Medalist, as part of a major East Coast tour by the symphony, including a return to Carnegie Hall.

The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra

The performance program includes the “Russlan & Ludmilla Overture” by Glinka, “Piano Concerto No. 3” by Rachmaninoff and “Symphony No. 5” by Prokofiev.

Before the performance, which concludes UD’s 2002-03 Performing Arts Series, the conductor and piano soloist will present free public workshops April 11 in the Amy E. du Pont Music Building. In addition, a special pre-concert dinner will be available April 12 at the Blue & Gold Club.

The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra began in 1961 as a community orchestra. Now, in its fifth decade of service to the central and northern New York region, it is a professional resident orchestra of national acclaim. It includes 76 musicians and a conducting staff of international caliber. The group performs more than 135 concerts and reaches more than 225,000 audience members during its 38-week season. The group was recognized in 1999 with the prestigious New York State Governor’s Award.

The symphony performs a vast array of programs including classics, pops, family, chamber orchestra, education youth programs and free summer park concerts. In addition, the SSO presents “The Nutcracker” with a visiting ballet company each December and also plays for the Syracuse Opera.

Tickets for the group’s Newark appearance are $15 for the general public, $10 for UD faculty, staff, alumni and senior citizens, and $6 for students and children. There is a 10 percent discount for group sales of 10 or more tickets per show. For tickets, call the Hartshorn box office at 831-2204, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Workshops and dinner
The workshops, free and open to the public, will be held at 5 p.m., Friday, April 11, in rooms 207 and 219 of the Amy E. du Pont Music Building. Billed as “Grant Cooper, and Olga Kern Share Their Career Experiences in Professional Classical Music,” the workshops will provide the campus and community with an opportunity to learn about the careers and music of the conductor and piano soloist. The workshops are presented in partnership with the UD Department of Music. For more information, call 831-8741.

Before the show, a buffet dinner will be offered, beginning at 5 p.m., at the Blue & Gold Club. The menu includes chicken breast in artichoke cream sauce and carved prime rib. Dinner reservations, at $17.50 for adults and $8.95 for children, ages 5-11, may be made by calling 831-2582.

For more information about the performance or the Performing Arts Series, visit [www.udel.edu/performingarts], send e-mail to [performingarts@udel.edu] or call 831-8741.

The University of Delaware 2002-03 Performing Arts Series and Family Series is made possible, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency committed to promoting and supporting the arts in Delaware, as well as generous support provided by Barba & Reynolds Insurance Agency, Embassy Suites-Newark/Wilmington South, and Arby’s.

Article by Amy Pasternack, AS 2003