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Date: 8/9/2023
SPRINGFIELD — For decades, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra has welcomed performers, conductors and audiences to its downtown destination and this year is no exception as it combines the best of the old and the new for its 80th anniversary season.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra announced its concerts for the 2023-2024 season, which will feature at least six symphonic and two pops performances.
On Oct. 14, the season will kick off with guest Taiwanese-American conductor Mei-Ann Chen and guest soloist and violinist Amaryn Olmeda. According to the orchestra, Olmeda is a “rising star” and first prize winner of the audience choice award at the 24th Annual Sphinx Competition.
The second classical concert of the season — “Heavenly” — will take place on Nov. 4. It will feature guest Conductor Nicholas Hersh, who is also associate conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Springfield Symphony Chorus.
The first pops concert of the season will be the return of Holiday Pops on Dec. 9, titled “Jolly Holiday.” The show will feature guest Conductor William Waldrop, who conducted the 2022 Holiday Pops, along with guest vocalist Michael Lynche, who was the fourth-place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.
On Jan. 13, 2024, the orchestra will present “Classics ‘n’ Jazz — a Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration,” featuring guest Conductor Damien Sneed. Sneed is a pianist, vocalist, composer, producer and arts educator. President and CEO Paul Lambert said the concert will feature a mix of classical and jazz pieces, including the “world premiere of ‘A Symphonic Homage to the Duke’ composed by Sneed.”
The second pops concert of the season — “Havana Nights” — will take place on Feb. 10, 2024. The concert will feature Cuban and Spanish-infused music with guest Conductor Nick Palmer. “The concert will be highlighted by performances by the Mambo Kings and soloist Camille Zamora, who performed during the SSO’s 2022 Holiday Pops,” the Springfield Symphony Orchestra said.
March 9, 2024, will be “Fantasia,” a classic concert that will be highlighted by the Springfield Symphony Chorus’ performance of Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. Adam Kerry Boyles will be the guest conductor and Quynh Nguyen will be the guest pianist.
On April 6, 2024, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra will present “An American Celebration” with guest Conductor Peter Boyer and guest Pianist Jeffrey Biegel.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s final concert of the season will be “Magic and Glory” on May 18, 2024. It will feature guest Conductor Tania Miller and violin soloist Rachel Barton Pine.
All the performances will take place at Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court St.
Renewals for returning subscribers begin on Aug. 10. New subscriptions and single tickets go on sale on Aug. 30.
Lambert said the Springfield Symphony Orchestra aims to keep ticket prices affordable — starting at $25, $10 for college students and “inexpensive” for children accompanied by adults.
He added that he hopes people notice some shows starting earlier this season — some at 2 p.m. and holiday pops at 4 p.m. Lambert said some people voiced that they would like to see earlier show times, to which the Springfield Symphony Orchestra is going to “experiment” with. He said he is hopeful people check it out.
In addition to these scheduled concerts, Lambert said the orchestra plans to host its second annual Juneteenth celebration in 2024, following the successful turnout in 2023. The inaugural concert was free to the community and featured the Avery Sharpe quartet, the Springfield Symphony Chorus and the Extended Family Choir. The orchestra received funding from the city of Springfield to expand its educational programming for the community.
Lambert shared that the orchestra will also bring back the hosting of educational performances for public school students, which has not taken place since the start of COVID-19.
Lambert encourages people to stay tuned for other events and celebrations that will be popping out throughout the year.
“Following our first full season of concerts in 2022-2023 since the pandemic, we enter our next season with a diversity of music, guest conductors and featured soloists that rival our just completed season. With our recent labor agreement now in place with our great musicians, we can work collaboratively in attracting new audiences while engaging our long-time subscribers with great classical and pops performances,” Lambert said.
He shared that he expects this year to be a “remarkable season,” following the success of last year’s series. He said the orchestra is looking to expand on that and will encompass a new, diverse audience while welcoming back others.
The primary mission of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra is to create beautiful, classic music, Lambert said.
With “a festive 80th anniversary season” on the horizon, Lambert said the milestone means something special to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. He shared that the “vibrant symphony” is a gift to the Springfield community and beyond and it enhances the quality of life downtown.
“[It is] a time to look back and celebrate the history of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra [and] put arms around building a vibrant future,” Lambert said.
“[I am] so proud of the area we live in [with the] richness of talent that exists here from dance, artists and musicians. I like to think we’re a critical part of that and living in the Pioneer Valley,” he added.
Lambert continued, “We are opening our hearts and offerings to the new generation [and are] blessed to have talents that make up the orchestra.”
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is the largest Massachusetts symphony outside of Boston. It consists of over 65 musicians from the New England region of the United States and Canada.
For more information, visit springfieldsymphony.org.