A sold out crowd gathered to celebrate fine Italian wine, fabulous food and the South Shore Orchestra at Venue by Bistro in Valparaiso on Sunday afternoon August 26.
Six wine distributors volunteered their time and product to toast the growing community orchestra at their seventh annual wine tasting fund raiser. All funds raised go directly to orchestra programming for the concert season. This year’s theme Reflections, marks their 8th season.
Additionally, many items were sold at silent auction to benefit SSO including the chance to conduct the orchestra and adopt a masterpiece. Dr. Michael Leland, won the opportunity to take the baton from Conductor Troy Webdell and lead the 60 plus orchestra at the spring concert for a selected composition.
Isabel O’Connell and Stan Shepherd serenaded the event with chamber music. Professor Jinyuan Meng stepped in to perform a piece as well. Meng is the director of the Confucius Institute at VU and the host for the China New Years tours that South Shore Orchestra has participated in twice. SSO will make a third trip this New Year’s when they take a smaller group of musicians and performers to stage American Swing music.
Tickets are now available for South Shore Orchestra’s next concert on Friday, October 5 at 7 PM. Something Old and Something New will include the World Premiere of Michael Schelle’s Exorcism of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Philip Serna performing the Dolmetsch Concerto for the viol and orchestra and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
So mark your calendars for Friday, October 5, 7 PM at Ivy Tech Auditorium Theater. Tickets Adults $15. Students & Seniors $10. Children under 12 FREE. For tickets contact Pete Brannen 219-464-7816 or cell:219-916-1013. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
Also save the date for the Second Annual Unity Concert: Miss Saigon, the Musical. Hundreds of performers will stage the popular musical on Friday, November 2, at Mondbeck Auditorium at Highland High School. Tickets will be available online shortly.