Fairfax Symphony

05/15/2019

Fairfax Symphony Concert - Verdi's Requiem - 5/11/19

What a finale!! Immense thanks to all who came out to #GMU last Saturday to make our final concert of the season so grand! Here's a clip of Verdi's Requiem... and the exhilarating performance by our Maestro Chris Zimmerman, 70 orchestra musicians, 4 opera stars, and a 120 member chorus!

Thank you for supporting the #FSO this season...making each performance unique by your attendance! Special thanks to Hyatt Regency Fairfax, our Official Hotel Sponsor.

You help make the #music possible for thousands of people of all ages in #FairfaxCounty and beyond!!

Cameron Schutza - Tenor
Adrienne Danrich, Soprano
Tim Bruno
Daryl Freedman, Mezzo-Soprano

Fairfax Choral Society
The Reston Chorale
Washington Master Chorale
Choralis

Fairfax County Government
Fairfax County Public Schools
Fairfax County Now
Fairfax County, Virginia
#washingtondc #maryland #virginia
#fairfaxnews
#talent #creativity #gratitude

05/11/2019

Verdi Horn Antics!

Check out some of these horn antics from last night's Verdi Requiem rehearsal!

Come be blown away by this incredible performance tonight at 8PM at the George Mason University's Center for the Arts

Shane Iler
Cameron Schutza - Tenor
Adrienne Danrich, Soprano
Daryl Freedman, Mezzo-Soprano
Tim Bruno
Fairfax Choral Society
Washington Master Chorale
The Reston Chorale
Choralis
Capital Horn Club

Fairfax County Government
Fairfax County Now
Fairfax County, VA

Verdi's Requiem

05/11/2019

Fairfax Symphony rehearsal - Verdi's Requiem

Fantastic rehearsal for Verdi's Requiem...join us tomorrow (Sat. 5/11) at George Mason University Center for the Arts as Maestro Chris Zimmerman conducts our final concert of the season! Thanks for your support to help make this season one of our best!! Join us Sat., 5/11 at #GMU as we present these 124 vocalists together on stage together with our 70 musicians... for 1 incredible night of music!

Cameron Schutza - Tenor
Daryl Freedman, Mezzo-Soprano
Tim Bruno
Adrienne Danrich, Soprano

Fairfax Choral Society
The Reston Chorale
Choralis
Washington Master Chorale

Fairfax County Government
Fairfax County Now
Fairfax County, VA

05/10/2019

WOW...here's a photo from last night's rehearsal, with nearly 200 performers on stage... 4 opera stars + 70 FSO musicians + 120 vocalists! It will surely be a grand, FSO season finale tomorrow evening (5/11) at George Mason University's Center for the Arts! Reserve your seats for Verdi's Requiem today at FairfaxSymphony.org

Cameron Schutza - Tenor
Daryl Freedman, Mezzo-Soprano
Tim Bruno - bass
Adrienne Danrich, Soprano

Fairfax Choral Society
The Reston Chorale
Choralis
Washington Master Chorale

05/08/2019

Pavarotti/Ghiaurov- Verdi Requiem 1967

We can't wait for Saturday...join us for Verdi's Requiem at George Mason University's Center for the Arts!
To get us in the spirit...check out this magnificent performance by Luciano Pavarotti and Nicolai Ghiaurov....

#FairfaxCounty #Fairfax #fairfaxnews #washingtondc #maryland #virginia #classicalmusic #concerts #chorus

http://premiereopera.com Tenor Luciano Pavarotti and basso Nicolai Ghiaurov sing their magnificent solo pieces from the Verdi Requiem in 1967.

05/07/2019

We're delighted to announce our 4th opera star performing Saturday in Verdi's Requiem... Timothy Bruno! Mr. Bruno returned to the Washington National Opera as Dottore Grenvil in La traviata, to reprise the French General in Puts’ Silent Night, and creates the role of Daddy in the premiere of Taking Up Serpents by Kamala Sankaram and Jerre Dye as part of the American Opera Initiative in the 2018-19 season.

This summer, he returns to Des Moines Metro Opera for Colline in La bohème and the First Apprentice in Wozzeck. Future engagements include debuts with Austin Opera, Palm Beach Opera, and Kentucky Opera, as well as multiple roles in a return to The Glimmerglass Festival.

Previously as a Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist with Washington National Opera, he sang Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Commendatore in Don Giovanni among others.

Timothy Bruno joins the FSO, his fellow soloists, plus 100+ vocalists from Fairfax Choral Society, Choralis, The Reston Chorale, and Washington Master Chorale -- Saturday, May 11 at George Mason University's Center for the Arts.

For tickets, visit FairfaxSymphony.org

#fairfaxcounty #chorus #symphony #orchestra #classicalmusic #virginia #thingstodo #concerts #gmu #opera

05/07/2019

Johannes Brahms called Verdi's Requiem “a work of genius!” This was the poster for the La Scala premiere in 1874. With 4 opera stars + 100 vocalists + 60 musicians all on stage this Saturday, May 11 at George Mason University... you're sure to be moved by this magnificent music of a genius!

Reserve your seats today at FairfaxSymphony.org

#FairfaxCounty #Fairfax #symphony #classicalmusic #verdi #chorus #thingstodo #music #concerts #GMU

05/06/2019

We're delighted to announce our 3rd soloist performing this Saturday in Verdi's Requiem ... Adrienne Danrich, Soprano! The voice of Midwest Emmy® winning Soprano Adrienne Danrich has been described as “fresh liquid-silver” and “meltingly tender in its high, floating vulnerability” by Opera News. La Cronaca del Wanderer describes her as “…soprano lirico spinto autentico”, “an authentic lyric spinto soprano.”

Ms. Danrich made her San Francisco Opera stage debut as Micaela in Bizet’s Carmen after having covered in two of the companies’ prior seasons as Elizabeth in the French version of Verdi’s Don Carlos and Liu in Puccini’s Turandot.

Don't miss her performance this Saturday, May 11...as she joins 3 more soloists, 60+ FSO #musicians, and 100 more #vocalists from Fairfax Choral Society, Choralis, The Reston Chorale, and Washington Master Chorale ...ALL on stage at George Mason University's Center for the Arts!

Reserve your seats today at FairfaxSymphony.org

#Fairfaxnews #FairfaxCounty #thingstodo #concerts #classicalmusic #orchestra #verdi #chorus

05/04/2019

Our second soloist starring in Verdi's Requiem is Cameron Schutza - Tenor! Praised by Opera magazine for “ringing high notes” and his “clarity of tone,” Cameron Schutza recently sang excerpts from the title role of Siegfried for The Metropolitan Opera Guild’s Wagner Ring Showcase at Lincoln Center’s Bruno Walter Auditorium. He makes his company and role debut as Chairman Mao in The Princeton Festival’s production of Adams’s Nixon in China, and recently made his company debut as Pollione in Norma with Sarasota Opera. See Cameron as he joins the FSO and 100+ voices on stage from Fairfax Choral Society, The Reston Chorale, Choralis, and Washington Master Chorale on Saturday, May 11 to perform Verdi's Requiem -- reserve your seats today at FairfaxSymphony.org

#classicalmusic #choral #requiem #fairfaxcounty #thingstodo #concerts #symphony

05/03/2019

We're delighted to introduce our soloists... opera star, Daryl Freedman, Mezzo-Soprano will perform with us May 11 for Verdi's Requiem! Praised by Opera News for her "striking dark timbre" and "expansive, sumptuous" performances...Ms. Freedman is a graduate of the Washington National Opera's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. She recently covered Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana at the San Francisco Opera and returned to The Cleveland Orchestra for performances of Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos and to the Santa Fe Symphony and Boise Philharmonic for The Messiah. See her May 11 as she joins the FSO, with 100+ singers on stage from Fairfax Choral Society, The Reston Chorale, Choralis, & Washington Master Chorale...in Verdi's magnificent masterpiece -- FairfaxSymphony.org

#opera #verdi #concerts #GMU #symphony #classicalmusic #chorus #FairfaxCounty

05/02/2019

Verdi: Requiem / Jansons · BR Chor · Berliner Philharmoniker

Experience Verdi's brilliant masterpiece...Sat., May 11 at George Mason University's Center for the Arts -- here's a taste of what you'll hear...magnificent! Reserve your seats today at FairfaxSymphony.org...

https://youtu.be/-1R7yPZv4o0

Full-length concert: http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/concert/305/?a=youtube&c=true Giuseppe Verdi: "Dies irae" from Messa da Requiem / Mariss Jansons, cond...

05/01/2019

Verdi's Requiem

Milan cathedral was the setting for the first performance of Verdi's Requiem May, 22 1874...composed in honor of famous novelist and poet, Alessandro Manzoni, who died the previous year. The Requiem is a masterpiece and a testimony to Verdi's composing abilities outside of his opera works, including La traviata, Rigeletto, Falstaff, and Aida. Join us Saturday, May 11 as we perform this magnificent work, with 100+ voices on stage -- Verdi's Requiem
-- reserve your seats today at FairfaxSymphony.org

Milan cathedral was the setting for the first performance of Verdi's Requiem Mass on 22 May 1874. He composed it to honour a famous novelist and poet Alessandro Manzoni, who died the previous year. The Requiem is a masterpiece and a testimony to Verdi's composing abilities outside of the field of op...

04/30/2019

Fairfax Symphony's cover photo

04/29/2019

WOW -- what a night! Thank you to all who joined us on Saturday night to celebrate our 2019 Fairfax County All-Stars and Chairman Sharon Bulova. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed an inspiring evening of #creativity and #leadership!! Your presence helped make the evening so special. From incredible artwork (inspired by Holst's The Planets) by our talented, elementary students from Fairfax County Public Schools...to an extraordinary performance by the Fairfax County high-school student All-Stars, our Maestro Chris Zimmerman + professional orchestra members, and choral singers...to our amazing patrons and supporters...BRAVO to all on a grand night at George Mason University!!

Special thanks to Dominion Energy, Hyatt Regency Fairfax, and thousands of outstanding teachers, students, and parents for your help to make this program possible!

Check out this recent Fairfax County Times article on FSO Education Programs -http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/musical-ambassadors-sharon-bulova-young-artists-program/article_3a082950-687d-11e9-ae19-4b4914baa1ac.html

#artseducation #STEM #fairfaxcounty #fallschurch #mentors #teachers #musicians
Fairfax County Government #symphony #arts #classicalmusic #inspiration
Woodburn School Westfield High School (Virginia)
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County Council PTA (FCCPTA)

04/29/2019

Woodburn School

We had an amazing time at this year’s Arts Integration Event at GMU. Thank you Fairfax Symphony Orchestra for your partnership!

04/27/2019

Mars Rehearsal Clip

Gosh, this clip sounds so familiar! It almost reminds of some kind of war of the stars! Star Wars?! Come listen to Holst's The Planets Suite, live, TONIGHT at 8pm at the George Mason University's Center for the Arts

FairfaxNews
Fairfax County Public Schools
Fairfax County Government
#FairfaxCounty

04/27/2019

Musical ambassadors: Sharon Bulova Young Artists’ Program

Thank you, Fairfax County Times for this great article! Join us tonight 4/27 for an extraordinary night of music...8pm at George Mason University Center for the Arts!

"Educational outreach is a vital part of FSO’s community engagement. We are more than just an orchestra that performs concerts. It’s the FSO’s way to have an everlasting impact.”
-- Jonathan Kerr, Executive Director, FSO

Fairfax County Public Schools
Fairfax County Government
FairfaxNews
Woodburn School

On April 24, the concert hall at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax gleefully vibrated with the sound of nearly 1,000 elementary school students playing their recorders

04/27/2019

Fairfax Symphony plays Jupiter

We're so excited to honor our 2019 Fairfax County, Virginia All-Stars and Chairman Chairman Sharon Bulova tomorrow evening 4/27 at George Mason University's Center for the Arts!

Here's a short clip from our rehearsal this week with our All-Stars performing Holst's "Jupiter" that Chairman Bulova will conduct...join Maestro Christopher Zimmerman and the FSO for Holst's The Planets tomorrow at 8pm...for tickets, FairfaxSymphony.org

Fairfax County Public Schools
Fairfax County Government

04/27/2019

Introducing All Star Trumpet Aislin Carpenter

Aislin Carpenter is a senior at Westfield High School (Virginia). After beginning band class in the fifth grade, her fascination with classical trumpet has never ceased. Currently, she is a member of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras and the Brass of Peace chamber ensemble, and remains an active participant in her school’s band and orchestra programs. During high school, Aislin has been named principal trumpet of both the All-VA Symphonic Band and All-VA Orchestra, and most recently was invited to participate in the Music for All Honor Orchestra of America. This summer, she will be attending the Tanglewood Institute as a member of the Young Artists Orchestra. When she isn’t blowing out the eardrums of clarinetists, she enjoys playing piano and writing songs.

Fairfax County Public Schools
Westfield HS Band
Fairfax County Government

04/26/2019

Introducing All Star Olivia Bond

Olivia Bond is an accomplished musician who has performed as a solo artist, chamber musician and orchestral cellist. Olivia began studying piano in 2nd grade and cello in 4th grade. She studies cello with Danielle Cho and piano with Julie Longmire. She has received awards in several competitions, including YMIC, the Army Orchestra Young Artists Competition, and AYPO. She is the founding member of a student-led string quartet. Olivia has consistently been selected for Regional and State orchestras, and served as assistant principal of Regional and principal cellist of All-Virginia Orchestra this year. She is currently a member of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras and plans to study music after high school."

Fairfax County Public Schools
Fairfax County Government

04/26/2019

Fairfax Symphony's cover photo

04/26/2019

Introducing All Star Cole Terpenning

Cole Terpenning is a Sophomore at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Virginia VA. He is a Percussionist and has performed regularly with the St. Paul VI High School Symphonic and Jazz Bands, The Northern Virginia Youth Winds, The The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestras, and the City of Falls Church Concert Band. Cole is a proud member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. He has been selected for the Diocese of Arlington Honor Band for the past five years and has earned Superior Ratings for his solos on Marimba, Timpani, and Snare. Cole enjoys playing jazz and rock percussion in his spare time and is currently pursuing his Second-Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. He hopes to major in Music in college.

Paul VI Catholic High School
Fairfax County Government

04/26/2019

Introducing All Star Yilun Zhou

Yilun Zhou held a fundraising concert a few years ago for a middle school student who
suffered bone cancer and raised US$2,000 for him. Furthermore, I assembled a music club consisted of both western and eastern string and wind instruments; we perform at senior homes regularly and school events. I also play pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument. I attended Fairfax All Star Youth program last year. I was concertmaster in my middle school’s orchestra and got selected into District Orchestra during middle school.

Fairfax County Public Schools
Fairfax County Government

04/26/2019

Metropolitan Arts Reviews

Thank you Metropolitan Arts Reviews!

Amit Peled

The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra is performing Holst's, The Planets tomorrow evening. Make sure to check out ticket availability for their performance at the George Mason Center for the Performing Arts in Fairfax, Virginia.

Below is a review from their previous concert, with the Peabody Peled Cello Gang:

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra presents the Peabody Peled Cello Gang at Providence Presbyterian Church

The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra “Cellospeak performance” at Providence Presbyterian Church delighted the audience with a mixed genre musical offering. Featuring The Peabody Peled Cello Gang, the theme on Sunday afternoon was “around the world with six cellos.” The musical genres spanned from the Classical Music Period through modern day rock music, offering a sampling of music for people of all ages and preferences.

The concert began with the Sonata in C Major for Two Cellos, written by the Italian composer and cellist, Boccherini. Written in the Classical Music Period, this sonata had melodic flourishes of melismatic phrases that were beautifully performed by the pair of cellos playing the duet, featuring Amit Peled and Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut. Grammy-nominated cellist, conductor and pedagogue, Amit Peled is a renowned cellist of profound musicianship and stage presence. He performed the duet with his student Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut.
The duet was performed beautifully, but in addition to the musical delight the audience experienced, we were able to hear a wonderful, uplifting story about his student, Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut. Bombut is a Cuban-born cellist with a very intriguing story. Bombut began his studies at the age of eight. While in Cuba he won several competitions. Amit was sent a video of Bombut performing “Flight of the Bumblebees”, a composition written by Rimsky Korsakov, which is an incredibly difficult composition to perform on any instrument. Bombut’s performance in a master class with Cecylia Barczyk, a Polish-born cellist of renown was so accomplished that Peled was immediately impressed. The scholarship committee at Peabody Conservatory awarded Bombut a full scholarship at the Peabody Conservatory to study under Amit Peled. Because of Peled’s international reputation as an accomplished cellist, he was also able to raise money for his student’s living expenses while studying under Peled’s instruction at Peabody. I found this story very compelling.

Cecylia Barczyk, the Polish-born cellist of renown who was coaching Bombut during the master class has her own moving story. She studied at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland and at the Moscow Conservatory of Music prior to studying at Yale School of Music and applying for political asylum saying, “I can't live in a country without democracy. My hopes have been with the Solidarity movement. To this end I have given many concerts in its support. And I want to continue my mission to assist the people of Poland in their struggle.”
The story of both of these two cellists escaping the tyranny of political oppression to live in freedom and express their musical art form is an inspiring story indeed.

The second composition on the program was “Elegy”, Opus 21 for Four Cellos by Josef Werner. Written in 1859, this composition demonstrated the melodic quality of music from the Romantic Period. The four cellists were very accomplished in their presentation.

Kol Nidrei, by Bruch is a quintet of cellos performing as a chamber orchestra by all five students, with Amit Peled as the soloist. The melodic transitions and phrasing were exquisite.

The Peabody Peled Cello Gang performed another concerto written by Haydn. This Concerto No. 1 in C Major was delightful.

An interesting twist to an otherwise classical program was the substitution of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, arranged for six cellos by Justin Boyer. The audience loved the Peabody Peled Cello Gang’s performance! The timing of this delightful addition to the program was perfect. Bohemian Rhapsody is a movie based on the true story of Queen's journey from the start of the rock band to their memorable 1985 performance at the Live Aid concert in Wembley Stadium.

Finally, David Popper’s “HungarianRhapsody” closed the program. This composition was a classical Twentieth Century composition, with minor tonal qualities. David Popper was a Bohemian cellist and composer born In Prague of the Czech Republic and educated at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music · Prague Conservatory