ASO Crosses Musical Eras 

Alexandria, VA—The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO) continues its 75^th Anniversary Season on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. (Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center) and Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. (George Washington Masonic Memorial). Throughout the year, the ASO is celebrating this milestone birthday with special appearances and events with new Music Director Maestro James Ross and members of the ASO.

The program opens with J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, followed by Stravinsky’s Concerto in E-flat Major, commonly called the Dumbarton Oaks Concerto. “The February performances start a cross-era conversation between the old and new—between Bach’s 300-year-old chamber concerto and Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks Concerto, while inspired by the Brandenburgs, it’s filtered through a 20^th century harmonic prism,” relates Maestro Ross. The Dumbarton Oaks Concerto earned its name from the sprawling historic estate in the District of Columbia, whose owner commissioned the work in 1937 for a celebration of his upcoming 30^th wedding anniversary. Musicians from the ASO will be featured as soloists for both concertos.

This conversation through time continues with Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 (nicknamed Classical), his neo-classical—although irreverent—reference to conventional form. The program concludes with Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 “Prague,” which Prokofiev emulated in his composition.  “Prokofiev makes fun of the classical form, and Mozart blurs the boundaries between symphony and opera,” observes Ross. “The middle movement of the Prague Symphony is Mozart’s greatest orchestral andante, just crying out for operatic text setting.”

The fully-professional Alexandria Symphony Orchestra performs Saturday evenings at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center and Sunday matinees at the George Washington Masonic Memorial. Single-ticket prices range from $20 to $80 for adults, and there are $5 youth and $10 student tickets. Military, senior and group discounts are also available. To order tickets and for more information, visit www.alexsym.org or call (703) 548-0885.