Owensboro Symphony announces 59th season

While Owensboro Symphony’s most recent concert season concluded on Saturday, the performing arts organization has recently announced the lineup for its upcoming 59th season for 2024-25 inside Cannon Hall at the RiverPark Center.

The five-concert subscription series, presented by Owensboro Health, will kick off in October and wrap up in April of next year and will highlight the “breadth and versatility of the orchestra’s musicians” with an emphasis on symphonic repertoire, the best of film and television, a haunting spooktacular, holiday favorites, the Celtic Renaissance and more, according to a press release.

“Planning each season brings us great excitement. We are thrilled to bring world-class talent to the stage at RiverPark Center, and every year we strive to make each concert unique and memorable for our audience,” said Gwyn Payne, the Symphony’s chief executive officer. “We are grateful to have such wonderful and supportive partners, sponsors, musicians and patrons who make it all possible.”

Troy Quinn, who will celebrate his eighth season with the organization as music director and conductor, is looking forward to “an exciting and memorable season ahead.”

“The vibrancy and sheer joy of music-making that our orchestra creates in every concert is truly wonderful and we are excited for everyone to join us as we share these programs together,” Quinn said in a release. “I believe there will be something for everyone to enjoy.”

Regarding Quinn’s involvement, Payne said he has “found his home away from home here in Owensboro” and “truly has a connection with the community” that has helped the Symphony continue to flourish.

“With his connections in the music world we are able to bring in artists that are world renowned, these are Grammy winners and Tony-nominated artists that perform side by side with the biggest talent in the industry,” Payne said. “There is a new breath of energy in the concert hall at every event we do and I believe Troy’s programming has elevated us tremendously.”

Before the season kicks off in about six months, the Symphony will host its annual free community concerts, with “Concert on the Lawn” taking place on Aug. 24 on the lawn in front of the Barnard-Jones Administration Building at Kentucky Wesleyan College and “Symphony Stroll” returning for its fifth year on Sept. 27 along the Owensboro Riverfront.

The season will open on Oct. 26 with “Symphony Spooktacular,” a Halloween-themed concert that will include “dark and mysterious” classical music such as Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” American composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann’s suite from the 1960 horror film “Psycho,” French composer Paul Dukas’ symphonic poem “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and German composer and pianist Johannes Brahms’ ”Symphony No. 1.”

Less than two months later, the Symphony will conclude 2024 with its annual “Home for the Holidays” concert on Dec. 14, featuring Emmy-winning and Tony-nominated actress and vocalist Liz Callaway along with the Owensboro Symphony Chorus and members of the Owensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra.

The Symphony will then kick off 2025 with “Beethoven. Brahms. Haydn. Hooten.” — which will highlight German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture,” Austrian composer Joseph Haydn’s “Symphony No. 88” and Brahms’ ”Variations on a Theme by Haydn” — on Jan. 25.

The concert will also include Thomas Hooten, principal trumpet player for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who will perform Haydn’s “Trumpet Concerto.”

Irish singer-songwriter and harpist Órla Fallon, former and original member of the female Irish musical ensemble Celtic Woman, will perform with the orchestra for the “Celtic Celebration” concert on March 1 on pieces such as Irish composer and musician Bill Whelan’s “Cloudsong” from the theatrical show “Riverdance,” Australian composer Percy Grainger’s “Molly on the Shore,” American composer and writer Henry Cowell’s “Flirtatious Jig (Fiddler’s Jig),” English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’ hymn tune “Rhosymedre” from “Three Preludes Founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes” and American composer Leroy Anderson’s “Irish Suite.”

The season will draw to a close with “Cosmic Worlds” — which will underscore American composer John Williams’ Academy Award-winning work from the 1982 science fiction film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” English composer Gustav Holst’s seven-movement orchestral suite “The Planets” and German composer and conductor Franz Waxman’s suite from the 1951 Oscar-winning drama film “A Place in the Sun” — on April 19.

Classical saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky will be featured as a special guest artist.

All concerts taking place during the official season will begin at 7 p.m. Each program will also include “Behind the Music with Troy Quinn,” a free special pre-concert conversation — presented by Baird Private Wealth Management — The Settle Group — beginning at 6:15 p.m.

Payne finds the concerts lined up for the upcoming season provide an “excitement in the air.”

“You won’t want to miss any of it,” she said.

Additionally, Payne said the Symphony will continue to focus on the educational aspect of the organization’s mission of helping “enrich lives and create memorable experiences.”

“It is proven that music changes lives, and we want to do all we can to support our local school systems by offering as many educational programs as possible,” she said. “Through some of our grant programs, we are able to underwrite tickets for students to attend concerts with their families and this has really proven to be successful in exposing students to the orchestra that may not get to attend.”

Payne added that for this year, the organization will be offering a 50% discount on season ticket packages for all teachers who work in both the Daviess County Public Schools and the Owensboro Public Schools systems.

“These educators are the people that we want to not only thank for their service to the children in their classrooms, but to also share the magnitude of the arts,” she said.

Tickets for the 2024-25 season are currently on sale and can be purchased at owensborosymphony.org or by calling 270-684-0661.