WACO SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION INC

CONCERTS - THE 62ND SEASON THEMED "NEW FRONTIERS" FOR THE WACO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MARKED THE FIRST FULL SEASON UNDER THE ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP OF MUSIC DIRECTOR / CONDUCTOR LAWRENCE LOH. IT FEATURED FOUR CLASSICAL CONCERTS WITH SOLOISTS INCLUDING PIANIST ORLI SHAHAM ON RHAPSODY IN BLUE, CLIBURN GOLD MEDAL-WINNING PIANIST JON NAKAMATSU PLAYING RACHMANINOFF'S PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2, VIOLIN SUPERSTAR RAY CHEN PLAYING TCHAIKOVSKY'S VIOLIN CONCERTO, AND CLARINETIST ANTHONY MCGILL AND ORGANIST BRADLEY HUNTER WELCH FEATURED ON SAINT-SAENS' SYMPHONY NO. 3. BALLET FRONTIER OF TEXAS COLLABORATED WITH WSO AND LOCAL STUDENT DANCERS ON THE NUTCRACKER. WE PRESENTED OUR FIRST FULL FEATURE FILM IN CONCERT, JURASSIC PARK IN CONCERT. WACO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA PRESENTED TWO FREE CONCERTS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAESTRO BEAU BENSON, WHO RESIGNED AFTER 11 SUCCESSFUL SEASONS TO TAKE A NEW ROLE AT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY.THE WSA PROVIDES AN INTERNSHIP FOR UNDERGRAD OR GRADUATE STUDENTS MAJORING IN MUSIC PERFORMANCE, WHICH AFFORDS THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM WITH THE WACO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. IN ADDITION TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM WITH A PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA THROUGH THE INTERNSHIP, STUDENTS ARE AWARDED A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THEIR COLLEGE EDUCATION. THERE WERE 19 WACO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INTERNS PERFORMING AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THE SEASON.

CHILDREN'S EDUCATION: BELLES AND BRASS - THE WACO SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION'S LONG-STANDING BELLE AND BRASS PROGRAM ACCEPTS HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR GIRLS AND JUNIOR BOYS IN AN ETIQUETTE TRAINING AND CLASSICAL MUSIC APPRECIATION PROGRAM WHICH NOT ONLY INTRODUCES YOUNG STUDENTS TO THE WORLD OF CLASSICAL MUSIC BUT ALSO ENCOURAGES THEIR PARENTS TO ATTEND ALL SYMPHONY CONCERT PERFORMANCES. PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM SERVE AS VOLUNTEER GREETERS AT THE CONCERTS. THE BELLES & BRASS PROGRAM FOR THE 2022-23 YEAR INCLUDED 23 JUNIOR SYMPHONY BELLES, 42 SOPHOMORE SYMPHONY BELLES AND 13 SYMPHONY BRASS. ADOPT-A-SCHOOL- THE WACO SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION DONATES FUNDS TO SCHOOL ORCHESTRAS FOR NEW INSTRUMENTS, REFURBISHMENT OF CURRENT INSTRUMENTS, AND OTHER ITEMS NEEDED TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDENTS TO PLAY IN THE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA. CHILDREN'S CONCERT- EVERY SCHOOL YEAR, THE BAYLOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS A CONCERT FOR WACO AREA SCHOOL CHILDREN TO EXPOSE STUDENTS TO CLASSICAL ORCHESTRAL MUSIC. THE CONCERTS ARE ORGANIZED BY THE WACO SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION THROUGH THE WACO SYMPHONY COUNCIL MEMBERS.