VERO BEACH — Artistic Director and Conductor Stewart Robertson and the Atlantic Classical Orchestra (ACO) will set the mood for spring with works by French composers Debussy and Ravel, and the chamber orchestra version of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 during the ACO’s third concert of the 2014 season.
The March 6 performance at the Waxlax Center in Vero at 8 p.m. and the March 7 concerts at the Lyric Theatre in Stuart at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. also feature the world premiere of the ACO’s second 2014 season commission, Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra, by rising star American composer Jeffrey Parola.
The Vero Beach performance will be preceded with a lecture at 7:10 p.m. Tickets are $55. The Stuart concerts will also be preceded with lectures at 3:10 p.m. for the 4 p.m. concert and at 7:10 p.m. for the 8 p.m. concert. The 4 p.m. concert is $55 and the 8 p.m. concert is $60. The Stuart performance will be held at the Lyric Theatre, 59 SW Flagler Ave.
The commission, known as The Rappaport Prize for Music Composition, is part of the Orchestra’s latest musical venture, The Commission Project, which champions contemporary American composers.
“The March 6 and 7 concerts are a wonderful expression of the colors, emotion and energy that classical music offers,” said Maestro Robertson. “Audiences are sure to enjoy the two different works for solo clarinet and orchestra: Debussy’s dreamy Premiere Rhapsodie, and the ACO commissioned world premiere, Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra, by the accomplished and incredibly creative young American composer Jeffrey Parola. Audiences will find a connection between the two works, as the Parola piece, despite being stylistically different from the Rhapsodie, was commissioned with the thought of forming a companion piece to the Debussy. Each work highlights the beautiful sound of the clarinet and are terrific showcases for the talents of ACO’s own clarinetist Paul Green. Mahler fans will not want to miss the moving chamber version of his Symphony No 1.”
Maestro Robertson’s popular pre-concert lectures, which offer concertgoers captivating insights about the repertoire, begin 50 minutes prior to each performance.
The Atlantic Classical Orchestra’s new open dress rehearsals series connected to the ACO Concert Series continue at the Eissey Campus Theatre at Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens. The free event, which gives an intimate look into performance preparation, will take place at 2:15 p.m. in the afternoon on Wednesday, March 5, and will be followed by a reception where the audience will have the opportunity to interact with the musicians.
Tickets can be purchased for the Vero Beach March 6 Concert via phone by calling the Box Office at (772) 460-0850 or on the ACO website: www.atlanticclassicalorchestra.com/tickets/.
Tickets for the Stuart March 7 concerts can be purchased online at: http://lyrictheatre.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=88
