Fridays at the Symphony with Alexander Platt
Alexander Platt takes you on a journey through a new symphony every Friday this summer. Enjoy each symphony with new understanding and insight. Treat yourself!
La Crosse Symphony Concerts for 2020-2021
We are excited to announce our 2020-2021 season, ‘Inspired by Genius’! You may get your season tickets now by filling out the fillable form (button below) or by calling the office at 608-783-2121. Season tickets will include our three spring concerts that are in March, May, and June. By purchasing your season tickets now, you are then also able to do an early-bird purchase to any of our Chamber Concert Series. General Chamber Tickets sales will open on August 17th. Our chamber concerts are designed to follow all social distancing needs and require masks in all areas except while seated. There will be no before-events, after-events, or intermission for safety purposes. The concerts are defined below. See you at the symphony!
All concerts are held at the Viterbo Fine Arts Center at 7:30 pm
CHAMBER CONCERT SERIES
SEPARATE FROM SEASON TICKET PACKAGE
- 220 tickets available per concert for social distancing purposes
- Masks Required (except while seated)
- Early ticket purchases open to season ticket holders- open for all on August 17, 2020
- After purchasing season tickets, a link will appear on your screen to purchase chamber concert tickets
OCTOBER 24, 2020: A RETURN TO LIFE! – CHAMBER CONCERT
Written for a solemn occasion, Jean Sibelius’ “Andante Festivo” sets the perfect tone for the LSO’s return to performing life on the Viterbo stage! African-American violin phenomenon TAI MURRAY makes a long-anticipated LSO debut in Bach’s immortal concerto, followed by Tchaikovsky’s elegant and monumental Serenade for Strings, written during his sojourn in Italy”. Thank you to Bill Koutsky for sponsoring our guest artist, Tai Murray!
Sibelius: Andante Festivo for String Orchestra
J.S. Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042 (TAI MURRAY, violin)
Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings in C, Op.48
NOVEMBER 21, 2020: CELEBRATING HEROES! – CHAMBER CONCERT
The LSO proudly celebrates the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, which brought our nation together in a victory over catastrophe. Two of Aaron Copland’s most enduring masterpieces from the War years — with our own Joshua Baker in a star turn — envelop the great African-American composer George Walker’s most famous work.
George Walker: Lyric for Strings (1946)
Aaron Copland: Suite from Appalachian Spring
Aaron Copland: Clarinet Concerto (1948) (JOSHUA BAKER, clarinet)
DECEMBER 18 & 19, 2020: HOLIDAY GEMS! – CHAMBER CONCERT
Join members of the La Crosse Symphony as we offer an intimate celebration of the Holiday spirit: from “The Nutcracker” and “Greensleeves”, to Edvard Grieg’s exhilarating “Holberg Suite”, to a garland of Christmas classics from the Baroque era.”
“Holst: Fantasia on “Greensleeves”, from the St. Paul’s Suite for Strings”
Handel: “Pastoral Symphony”, from Messiah
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves
Grieg: “Shepherd Boy” from the Lyric Suite, Op. 54
Grieg: “At the Cradle”, from Two Lyric Pieces, Op.68
Tchaikovsky: Overture from The Nutcracker
Grieg: Holberg Suite, Op.40
Corelli: Finale (Pastorale) from the Christmas Concerto, Op.6, No.8
SEASON TICKET PACKAGE
THREE SPRING CONCERTS
MARCH 6, 2021: MONUMENTAL SIBELIUS, AND MORE RISING STARS!
Four more amazing young soloists vie for the honors, in the LSO’s evermore impressive annual solo competition. And to finish, Jean Sibelius’ first symphonic masterpiece — including the haunting “Swan of Tuonela” and “Lemminkainen’s Homeward Journey”, one of the most hair-raising finales in the orchestral repertoire!
The 2021 LSO “Rising Stars” Piano and Instrumental Finalists, in four selected movements from the concerto repertoire
Jean Sibelius: Three Legends for Orchestra from the Kalevala, Op.22:
Lemminkainen and the Island Maidens — The Swan of Tuonela — Lemminkainen’s Homeward Journey
MAY 1, 2021: CINEMA SENSATIONS: A BRITISH INVASION
So much of the finest movie music of recent years has come from British inspirations—from the stately gloom of “Downton Abbey” to the gripping suspense of DUNKIRK. We’ll follow all that excitement with the welcome return of one of our favorite international soloists—our own “Italian movie star”, the amazingly gifted Alessio Bax, in another Rachmaninov gem from the world of the silver screen.
Walton: Crown Imperial March (1937)
Music from DOWNTON ABBEY, LORD OF THE RINGS, and CHARIOTS OF FIRE
Hans Zimmer: The Dogfight Suite, from DUNKIRK
John Barry: Music from DANCES WITH WOLVES, and SOMEWHERE IN TIME
Walton: Orb and Sceptre (1953)
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, for piano and orchestra (Alessio Bax, soloist)
JUNE 5, 2021: BEETHOVEN, LA CROSSE, THE WORLD
Another great young international star—cellist Gabriel Cabezas, makes his LSO debut in a long-overdue complete performance of Dvorak’s beloved Cello Concerto! Framing that performance will be the return of former LSO music director Amy Mills, our ever-amazing Conductor Wannabes, and the blazing excitement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, as we celebrate another stunning season of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra!
Amy R. Mills: JourneyOne — Hints of the Middle East, Concerto for
Trumpet and Orchestra (2017) (Daniel Birnschein, soloist)
Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B Minor (Gabriel Cabezas, soloist)
Two Favorite Marches, with LSO Winning Wannabe Conductors:
Elgar: “Pomp and Circumstance” March No.1, Op.39
Bizet: “March of the Toreadors”, from CARMEN
Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A Major
YouTube LIVE Concert with Lucille Chung
Go to YouTube, enjoy our concert and Fridays at the Symphony, then SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT and SHARE!
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Sponsorships Available for the 2020-21 Season
Join the Sponsorship Family at the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra! We are creating a new educational series on our YouTube channel. Each of these series is available for sponsorship! We have also developed a new Principal Musician Sponsorship that has a financial benefit that goes directly to the musician. Instrumental sections can also be sponsored! To receive a sponsorship information package, please email Eva Marie Restel of your interest and your address at emrestel@lacrossesymphony.org.
La Crosse arts organizations have come together to offer online arts experiences to help us all get through this pandemic as well as possible. Click on the link and explore all the arts offerings. The arts are here for you La Crosse! Click on the link below to enjoy some archived arts experiences just for you including all 40 days on 30+ Symphonies with Alexander Platt!
In the NEWS on WXOW May 21, 2020:
"Simply Sinatra" Concert RESCHEDULED AGAIN for September of 2021!
Simply Sinatra is being rescheduled AGAIN! September of 2021 we should be ready for a grand singing live concert! The exact date is coming soon. Your original tickets are still good! For the most up-to-date information, join our email blast. Typically only 2 emails a month to keep you up-to-date on the latest news and opportunities. Check back here for more updates and links to options on your tickets.
UPDATES:
Due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the La Crosse Symphony office is closed. Jan Henry and Eva Marie Restel are available by email (EMRestel@LaCrosseSymphony.org). You may also reach Jan by calling the office number at 608-783-2121.
The La Crosse Symphony is excited to be a part of the La Crosse Arts Online collaboration! We know that the arts bring comfort and a feeling of connectivity to people and that is what we need. Click on the La Crosse Arts Online link below and enjoy learning from Maestro Alexander Platt, hearing a new symphony each day, and many other offerings from your La Crosse arts organizations. We are here for you, La Crosse!
The La Crosse Symphony Orchestra was started in 1898 and brings a legacy of great music, culture, and intrigue to the La Crosse area. In addition, the arts as a whole bring a huge economic boost to our area. In this time of need, please consider donating to help us through the COVID-19 pandemic when we are unable to provide our live performances or conduct our Conductor Wannabe major fundraiser. In lieu of these events, we are offering a new online education of 30 great symphonies with introductions by Alexander Platt. We are building our YouTube channel with educational opportunities. Consider donating on a monthly basis to support our La Crosse Symphony Online. We hope this brings great enjoyment and learning to our viewers!
Click on the image below to hear Maestro Alexander Platt’s message for you.
