THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608210492
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 100 lines
Last year, the event drew more than 2,000 Chesapeake folks, surpassing everyone's estimates.
This year, they're expecting anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 people to show.
A NASCAR race? A pigpicking? A bluegrass extravaganza?
Nope. The symphony's coming to town, and the folks in Chesapeake will come out when the symphony resins up the bows, greases the brass, tightens the percussion and watches for the conductor's raised baton.
Even in Chesapeake, once home of good ol' boys and gals, residents love the Virginia Symphony. And they'll be there when the orchestra performs over the Labor Day weekend.
L. Randy Harrison, Chesapeake Fine Arts coordinator, remembered last year's first-ever Virginia Symphony concert in the city.
``We thought if we got maybe 600 or so we'd be doing well, so all we printed up were 800 programs,'' Harrison said. ``But the people kept coming and coming and coming. We all thought, `Hey, if you play it, they will come.' ''
Buoyed by last year's successful turnout, Harrison decided to try it again in Chesapeake. Like last year's concert, Harrison said organizers do not want to make this a high-brow affair, something that frightens people away from classical music concerts.
``We want families to have fun,'' she said. ``We don't want them to feel as if they're going to some boring long-hair event. We want people to feel at ease, wear comfortable clothes and enjoy this rare opportunity to attend a symphony concert for free.''
As good as last year's symphony concert was, Harrison said this year's will include several new and exciting attractions.
The event will begin with a performance by the well-known Virginia Coast Chorus of the International Sweet Adelines, a female chorus performing expert four-part barbershop vocal harmony.
Chorus president Cathy Allen said her group, with members from Chesapeake and all over South Hampton Roads, will be 25-30 voices strong for the Chesapeake performance. They will perform songs that will highlight ``The Fabulous '40s,'' the group's Virginia Pavilion concert coming this fall.
``We're excited about this opportunity in Chesapeake,'' Allen said. ``We've had quartets sing in Chesapeake, but never our larger group. In the future we have hopes of not just singing before the Virginia Symphony, but of singing with the orchestra.''
The program for the Chesapeake symphony concert will feature an Olympic theme. Harrison said the symphony will perform familiar theme songs, anthems, musical works associated with various countries and music associated with different types of athletic events.
``We're hoping Lawrence Johnson, the Chesapeake pole vaulter who participated in this year's Olympics, will join us,'' Harrison said. ``We sent him an invitation, and if he has no other conflicting plans, we'll include him in the musical Olympic program.''
Wes Kenney, the Virginia Symphony's new associate conductor, will make his Virginia, Chesapeake and Virginia Symphony debut at the Aug. 31 concert.
``I recently had him on my television show, and he said he's already fallen in love with the area and already feels at home here,'' said Harrison, referring to her ``Spotlight on the Arts'' program on cable channel 23.
Kenney is also co-principal conductor of the Oakland Lyric Opera. One Oakland newspaper called him ``an interpreter of exceptional talent,'' and he won the prestigious Carmen Dragon Conducting Prize in 1992 for his work with a music director of the Oakland Youth Orchestra.
Kenney graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California and received his master's in music from San Francisco State. He has been guest conductor with the Spokane Symphony, the San Domenico Chamber Orchestra, the Romani Opera Co. in Los Angeles, the Westminster Chamber Orchestra in Salt Lake City and several others.
He was assistant conductor with the Santa Monica Symphony, associate conductor of the San Francisco State University Symphony and Wind Ensemble and music director of the Valley Youth Orchestras.
After a guest stint conducting the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra, Kenney was cited by one local music critic for ``his excellent technique combined with musicianship to bring home an outstanding concert.'' Kenney has also been praised by critics for his work as musical theater director and was named ``Music Director of the Year'' by LA Weekly Magazine.
Harrison said Kenney's debut in an Olympic-themed concert should make for a perfect holiday weekend.
``We think it will be a nice alternative to leaving town for the holiday,'' she said. ``You can arrive at Chesapeake City Park early so the kids can play in Fun Forest, then walk over to enjoy the concert under the stars. It's a wonderful way for people who have never experienced a symphony orchestra concert to enjoy one for free. We know for a fact that at last year's performance we had so many people who had never been to a symphony orchestra concert. Everybody said it was the best fun they had in a long time.''
If you're hungry at the concert, Mr. Pig will be there to offer traditional barbecue fare, and The Running Bagel will be serving an array of bagels, muffins and coffees. But if you're on a budget, just pack up a picnic dinner, grab some lawn chairs and blankets and bring the kids.
One last note: If the thought of a parking nightmare or the hassle of slapping mosquitoes while the symphony swings and sways have you thinking of bagging the show, don't worry.
Harrison said Chesapeake Sheriff John Newhart will assign deputies to control traffic in and out of the parking lots. The day before the event, Chesapeake Mosquito Control will make sure the audience isn't distracted by the buzzing of the biting pests.
``At last year's concert when we had 2,000 people, Sheriff Newhart's deputies made it smooth and easy to get in and out of the parking lot,'' Harrison said. ``That concert and this one will work because of the cooperation of so many different city departments. Everybody works together to make this a success.'' by CNB