Maestro looking forward to upcoming Lubbock Symphony season, 'Best Of'

Season and individual tickets are now on sale for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra's 2023-24 season, titled "Best Of," and the organization's Music Director David Cho could not be more excited.

"We're thrilled about it," Maestro Cho said.

The symphony's 77th season will feature 13 concerts — five masterworks performances, four chamber concerts and four special events. Ranging from Haydn to Star Wars (on May the 4th, no less), Cho is certain the season will offer something familiar for everyone.

"We'll be featuring Best of Brahms, Best of Oratorio, etc.," Cho said. "And we're bringing in world-class soloists to perform with the Lubbock Symphony."

Cho explained each concert in the season will feature pieces listeners are likely already most familiar with, like Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Handel's Messiah or Stravinsky's Firebird.

Besides the usual masterworks and pops concerts, this season's lineup includes several performances of the Lubbock Chamber Orchestra, which recently merged with LSO.

"We had a subset of musicians that we shared, and we just thought it would be a natural combining of the two institutions to make them more successful," Cho said. "It'll be led by Dr. Eric Allen, who is professor of music at Texas Tech School of Music. They have three programs that will be part of the Lubbock Symphony season."

And are there any concerts Cho is particularly excited about?

"'Realms' comes to my attention because it'll not only feature one of the perennial favorites, Stravinsky's Firebird, but we welcome the debut of a world-class violinist named Chee-Yun. She's a South Korea-born violinist," Cho said. "We have invited her in the past, but due to some traveling issues and, of course, COVID, we had to cancel her appearance with the Lubbock Symphony three times. So, it's a long awaited debut."

Cho said he's also looking forward to the Brahms concert.

"I'm particularly excited about Adam Golka, who is a welcomed guest pianist that has performed with the Lubbock Symphony many times. Adam is just a fantastic pianist who will be performing Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1," Cho said. "I'm combining that with an interesting Tchaikovsky symphony. Most people are familiar with his last three symphonies, but this particular one, not only is it an early symphony — it's Symphony No. 3 titled 'Polish' — but it's his only symphony in in a major key."

Elsewhere in the season, patrons can experience a world premiere — Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue by Peter Boyer — which was commissioned by symphonies around the country to commemorate the resumption of American orchestral music following the COVID-19 pandemic; and guests will also have a chance to view "Star Wars: A New Hope" with John Williams' score performed with the film by a live orchestra.

Season and individual tickets are available at lubbocksymphony.org or by calling the box office at 806-762-1688.

Take a look at all 13 concerts below.

Lubbock Symphony Orchestra 2023-34 season, "Best Of"

• Aretha: A Tribute | Special Event | Featuring the music of Aretha Franklin | Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw, vocalists | Sat., Sept. 2; The Buddy Holly Hall

• Fall SOUND! | Chamber Music Series | John Clare, curator | Tues., Sept. 12; LHUCA Icehouse

• Rhapsodies | Masterworks Series | Peter Boyer - Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue; Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue; Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 | Jeffrey Biegel, piano | Fri., Sept. 22; The Buddy Holly Hall

• Classics and Neoclassics | Chamber Music Series | Mozart - Overture to Marriage of Figaro; Dvořák - Serenade for Winds in D minor; Bologne - Symphony No. 2; Stravinsky - Pulcinella Suite | Lubbock Chamber Orchestra, Eric Allen, conductor | Fri., Oct. 20; Crickets Theater at The Buddy Holly Hall

• Oratorio | Masterworks Series | Haydn - The Creation | Michael Palmer, guest conductor; The Lubbock Chorale | Fri., Oct. 27; The Buddy Holly Hall

• Realms | Masterworks Series | Tchaikovsky - Francesca da Rimini; Mozart - Violin Concerto No. 5; Stravinsky - Firebird Suite | Chee-Yun, violin | Sat., Nov. 4; The Buddy Holly Hall

• Messiah | Special Events | Handel - Messiah | Lubbock Chamber Orchestra, Eric Allen, conductor; First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir; Amy Owens, soprano; Quinn Patrick Ankrum, mezzo-soprano; Eric Rieger, tenor; Gerald Dolter, bass | Sat., Dec. 16; The Buddy Holly Hall

• Brahms | Masterworks Series | Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1; Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 3 | Adam Golka, piano | Sat., Jan. 20, 2024; The Buddy Holly Hall

• Fanny and Felix | Chamber Music Series | Fanny Mendelssohn - Overture in C Major; Reinecke - Octet, Op. 216; Dragonetti - Concerto for Double Bass; Felix Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 4 "Italian" | Lubbock Chamber Orchestra, Eric Allen, conductor; Mark Morton, double bass | Thurs., Feb. 29, 2024; Crickets Theater at The Buddy Holly Hall

• Spring SOUND! | Chamber Music Series | John Clare, curator | Tues., March 5, 2024; LHUCA Icehouse

• Verdi | Masterworks Series | Featuring a selection of Verdi and Puccini arias | Limmie Pulliam, tenor | Sat., March 23, 2024 | The Buddy Holly Hall

• The Resurrection Symphony | Special Event - Vesper Concert Series | Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" | Thurs., April 18 - Fri., April 19, 2024; First United Methodist Church

• Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert | Special Event | Film screening with live orchestra | Sat., May 4, 2024; The Buddy Holly Hall

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Cho looking forward to upcoming Lubbock Symphony season, 'Best Of'