Greenville Symphony's passion to please audiences keeps 'em coming back

Apr. 5—GREENVILLE — With the Greenville Symphony Orchestra's 95th anniversary approaching, Conductor Michael Gelfand said there are many people responsible for the orchestra's continued success over the years.

Some are people working behind the scenes, such as the orchestra's board of directors, while others include the many audience members of all ages who turn out for each concert.

"These concerts happen because we have a wonderful group of experts on the board, and the community has always supported us," Gelfand said.

Those who have been longtime fans of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra will have a chance to help the orchestra mark its 95th anniversary with their concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the William A. Passavant Center at Thiel College in Greenville.

The concert will include the William Tell Overture by Rossini, which Gelfand said audiences will recognize as the Lone Ranger theme.

Other pieces include L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2: Minuet by Bizet, "Great" Sym. No. 9: Movement 1 by Schubert, and Slavonic Dance Op. 46, #3 by Dvorak.

The concert will also feature Symphony #3 "Organ Symphony," Movement 2 by Saint-Saens, which Gelfand said will take advantage of the Passavant center's large organ.

After those pieces, the orchestra will perform an encore — which Gelfand said will be kept as a surprise until the concert.

"This concert is the finale concert to our 95th season, so we're doing pieces that are iconic and famous, and, really, pieces that present the orchestra in a great way," Gelfand said.

Depending on the concert, the orchestra's membership can range from 40 musicians to as high as 85. This concert will feature about 65 musicians, who come from as far as 100 miles away, Gelfand said.

"There's always some new faces, and we often have a lot of returning faces as well — it really is a big family," he said.

Looking back on the many events since the Greenville Symphony Orchestra's founding — from World War II and the Great Depression to the more recent mill closures — Gelfand said it is significant that the orchestra still exists, especially in a smaller, rural community such as Greenville.

At the same time, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra is performing the same caliber of concerts that one could expect from an orchestra in a major city, such as Pittsburgh or Cleveland.

"Greenville's a small town of about 6,000 people, and yet we have a fully-paid, professional orchestra," Gelfand said.

Thanks to the leadership of the orchestra's board of directors, orchestra members are able to keep busy with multiple concerts per season, including a Halloween concert, a children's concert and a Valentine's Day concert, which keeps the orchestra engaged with the community.

Gelfand said the orchestra also performs a range of music catering to different tastes, from the classical William Tell Overture to more recent pieces that would be familiar to younger audiences, such as the theme songs to Star Wars or Indiana Jones.

"Sometimes we're surprised at which pieces the kids will recognize, but we're always trying to play pieces that are accessible and fun for everybody," Gelfand said.

That passion to please audiences by the orchestra's board and many instrumentalists has kept audiences coming back over the years, creating something that Gelfand suspects is unique not just for Mercer County, but the United States.

"Whenever I guest conduct and travel throughout the country, or even when I travel abroad, I tell my friends and colleagues about what we have in Greenville, and they're absolutely amazed," he said.

Tickets can be pre-ordered for $20 thegreenvillesymphony.org/home, or purchased at the door for $25. All students are free.

Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at ddye@sharonherald.com.