Tag Archives: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

ROCKing the TONYS – Rebecca Luker

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Rock the TonysRebecca LukerRebecca Luker

Little Rock connection: Has twice appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Once it was the Valentine Pops concert singing Broadway songs, the second was a semi-staged concert version of The Music Man.

Tony Awards connection: She has been nominated for three Tony Awards. The first was in 1995 as Actress in a Musical for Show Boat, the second was in 2000 as Actress in a Musical for The Music Man and the third was in 2007 as Featured Actress in a Musical for Mary Poppins.  She has also performed on the Tony Awards with The Secret Garden and The Sound of Music.

Today is her birthday.

This evening at the Capital Hotel, musicians from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in a free concert

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ASO at CHMusicians from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will be performing this evening in the lobby of the historic Capital Hotel. The music will start at 5:00 pm.

In 2011, the ASO started these free concerts in the lobby of the Capital Hotel.  The marble and tile of this historic lobby provide a wonderful acoustic backdrop for the musicians.

The concert will feature the Rockefeller String Quartet performing Mozart’s String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, “Dissonance” and Theofanidis’  Visions and Miracles.

Unlike concerts in music halls, guests here are encouraged to bring drinks to their seats or to stand and move around while the musicians are playing.  It is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where the audience and musicians alike are able to interact with each other.

This concert is part of the ASO’s ongoing efforts to play throughout the community under the leadership of Music Director Philip Mann and Executive Director Christina Littlejohn.  In addition to the Capital Hotel concerts, they offer occasional free concerts at UAMS and have recently started the INC (Intimate Neighborhood Concerts) subscription series.

ASO musicians perform free concert at UAMS today

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ASO_2-colorThe Ruth Allen UAMS Series takes place from time to time at UAMS and is free.  This afternoon at 4:30pm will be the latest concert in the series.

The musicians today will be Barry McVinney, Diane McVinney and Dr. Martin Hauer-Jensen all on flute and Cindy Fuller on piano.

The pieces to be performed are:

DOPPLER – Andante and Rondo, Op. 25
W.F. BACH – Duet No. 2
QUANTZ – Sonata in D Major for Three Flutes
MUCZYNSKI – Duos for Flutes
J.S. BACH – Triosonate in G Major, BWV 1039
SCHOCKER – Three Dances for Two Flutes
MANCINI – Two for the Road

Here are the directions for the concert:

From Markham, turn south onto Hooper St.
Follow signs to Parking Lot 1.
Enter the lot, which goes underground.
Take the elevator to the “top” of the parking Lot 1, which immediately adjoins the back side of the lobby.
The Music Room is at the west end of the lobby, behind the grand piano.

ROCKing the TONYS – Bernadette Peters

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Rock the TonysBernadette_Peters_a_pBernadette Peters

Little Rock connection: In February 1997, appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra at Robinson Center Music Hall.

Tony Awards connection: Winner of two Tony Awards for Actress in a Musical (Song & Dance – 1986 and Annie Get Your Gun – 1999), in 2013 she received the Isabelle Stevenson Award recognizing her philanthropic efforts as a co-founder of “Broadway Barks.” She has hosted the Tony Awards ceremony and appeared as a presenter and entertainer on several other occasions.  Peters has also been nominated for Tonys for Featured Actress in a Musical (On the Town – 1972) and Actress in a Musical (Mack & Mabel – 1975; Sunday in the Park with George – 1984; The Goodbye Girl – 1993; and Gypsy – 2003). She has also starred in the Tony winning productions of George M!, Into the Woods, A Little Night Music and Follies.

ROCKing the TONYS – Lawrence Hamilton

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Rock the Tonys LawrenceHamiltonLawrence Hamilton

Little Rock connection: Arkansas native, former Philander Smith College faculty member, acted at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in The Piano Lesson, To Kill a Mockingbird and Looking over the President’s Shoulder and directed Arkansas Rep’s production of Crowns, appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra as well as numerous other performances and events throughout Little Rock and Arkansas.  He also brought his friends to Little Rock to perform including Jessye Norman.  He was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame.

Tony Awards connection: Appeared on Broadway in Tony winning productions of Jelly’s Last Jam, Sophisticated Ladies, Ragtime and Tony-nominated productions of Play On!, Uptown…It’s Hot!, and Porgy & Bess.

Broadway, Movie and Holiday Music all part of Ark Symphony 2014-15 Acxiom Pops Live lineup

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ASO_2-colorMusic of the Silver Screen, Great White Way and boughs of green highlight the 2014-2015 Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Acxiom Pops Live! Series.

Next year is the first of their two-year hiatus from Robinson Center Music Hall (as it gets transformed into a true music hall instead of a civic gathering room).  To entice audience members to go along for the journey of the new, temporary location, ASO Music Director Philip Mann has created a lineup of spectacular music performed by powerhouse talent as well as the phenomenal musicians of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

The Acxiom Pops Live! Series will be performed at the Pulaski Academy Connor Performing Arts Center.  (Think: Maumelle=Masterworks, PA=Pops)  The series will kick off on October 4 & 5 with Bill Conti’s Academy Awards.  Oscar and Emmy winner Bill Conti (who also is conductor of the Academy Awards orchestra) will lead the ASO in a celebration of songs from the movies. As a composer, Conti has won an Oscar for his score to The Right Stuff and was nominated for Rocky and For Your Eyes Only. Other movies and TV include Private Benjamin, “Dynasty,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Falcon Crest,” The Karate Kid, “North & South,” and Broadcast News.

The ASO Holiday Extravaganza is an Arkansas tradition in December.  In 2014 it will take place on December 19, 20 & 21.  It will feature Christmas carols, sing-alongs, and some of Arkansas’ outstanding musicians and singers. There are always traditional favorites and new surprises thrown in.  This will help audiences relax after completing their shopping – or take a break from the last minute shopping frenzy. (Tickets also make a great early-Christmas present, and it falls in the middle of Hanukkah and makes a wonderful present for that too.)

Another ASO tradition is the Broadway Valentine’s concert. It will take place on February 14 and 15.  The music of Broadway and Hollywood will be the framework for an evening of song and dance by Broadway vets Joan Hess and Kirby Ward. Their singing and dancing will remind audiences (or introduce younger audiences to the mastery) of Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Eleanor Powell.

The classic songs of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin have stood the test of time and are definitely timeless. The great vocalist Sylvia McNair will offer her take on these standards while accompanied by Jeffrey Biegel on piano.  This concert promises to be a feast for the eyes as well as the ears because it will also feature rare video clips, family photos and state-of-the art visuals to help share the story of the Gershwins and their music.

The Pops Live! Series for 2014-2015 will conclude with Ashley Brown’s Broadway.  Miss Brown was the original Mary Poppins when the eponymously entitled musical opened on Broadway.  For her work in the production, she received Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League nominations. She made her Broadway debut as Belle in Beauty and the Beast.  Backed by the ASO, she will sing Broadway favorites such as “Nothing Like a Dame,” “People,” and “Tonight” as well as Disney classics such as “Spoonful of Sugar” and “Someday My Prince Will Come.”

All Acxiom Pops Live! concerts will be performed at 7:30pm on Saturday evenings and 3pm on Sunday evenings.

Rachel Barton Pine and the Ark Symphony Youth Orchestra today at 3 at Wildwood

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asyo RB PineThe Point 94.1 and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra present Rachel Barton Pine and the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra at Wildwood’s Cabe Festival Theatre today. This concert is the culmination of a three-day camp including improvisation workshops and masterclasses.

Rachel Barton Pine is known both for her excellent technique and expressive range performing traditional “classical” music as well as for performing as a rock and heavy metal soloist. This genre-bending concert features music from Sibelius, Bruch, and Paganini as well as Van Halen, Metallica and Led Zeppelin!

The concert begins at 3pm at the Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre at Wildwood Park (20919 Denny Road).