On Sunday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m., the Symphony of the Kootenays, presented by the Selkirk Chamber Orchestra, brings A Dvorak Celebration with cellist Jeff Faragher to the Capitol Theatre. A special pre-concert presentation at 6:45 p.m. is included.
Nelson music lovers will be delighted to hear that the Symphony of the Kootenays is coming to the city. Although the symphony has played in Nelson to enthusiastic crowds, it was not originally scheduled to perform here this season.
Local members of the orchestra — including cello soloist Jeff Faragher, violist Alexis More and concertmaster Wendy Herbison — were determined to bring the symphony here.
Faragher says “all the musicians are so passionate about this music that they agreed to play the Nelson concert even if they couldn’t get paid.”
The local group of musicians, known as the Selkirk Chamber Orchestra, are sponsoring the event and working hard to raise donations to pay the travel costs and fees of the musicians.
Thanks to the generous support of the Nelson and District Credit Union, Nelson Brewing Company and the Columbia Basin Trust Sponsorship Program, the funding has been given a terrific boost.
The full orchestra comprises 42 musicians, 29 of whom live and work in this area, so it is no wonder this grass-roots movement garnered so much momentum.
Well-known local teachers such as Tim Bullen, Keith Todd, Ruth Langevin and Josette Laforge will also be in the orchestra.
The program is all Dvorak, a Czech composer of the Romantic era whose works are intense and powerful, full of beautiful melodies and catchy rhythms.
The cello concerto is both commanding and rich, and while it is a huge undertaking for the soloist, it is also a symphonic masterpiece in its own right. Dvorak’s Eighth Symphony makes up the rest of the dramatic program.
Nelson’s own Jeff Faragher steps forward as the soloist for the concerto alongside conductor and music director Bruce Dunn.
Tickets for this event are available from the Capitol Theatre box office or online at capitoltheatre.bc.ca
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to hear the full orchestral sounds in this exciting and inspiring music.