South Bend Symphony 2016-17 Season-Opening Concert to feature the first of 5 Music Director Candidates and Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster

On Saturday, October 8^th at 8:00 p.m. at the Morris Performing Arts Center, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra opens its 2016-17 “Season of Discovery” and begins its search for its new Music Director. Throughout the Season the SBSO will present five Music Director Candidates, all in the running to take Maestro Tsung Yeh’s position.

First Music Director Candidate, Grammy-nominated conductor Alastair Willis will take the podium and lead the season-opening concert – and first of the newly expanded Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks Series. Willis has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony and most recently served as the Music Director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

The concert will open with an extraordinarily energetic work from Carter Pann – specially selected by Willis. Slalom was inspired by the Carter’s time on the ski slopes of Mt. Werner in Colorado, and it “…captures the exhilarating experience of bolting down the mountain.”  Similarly to Pann, Dvořák was inspired by uniquely American features to write his love letter to America – the popular “New World” Symphony, performed on the second half of the concert.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster Robert Chen will be joining the Symphony on stage with his performance of Mendelssohn’s beloved Violin Concerto.  As the CSO concertmaster, Mr. Chen has been featured as soloist with conductors including Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, and Bernard Haitink and has performed chamber music with Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, and Yo-Yo Ma.

The concert is generously sponsored by: Jack M. Champaigne (Series Sponsor); Electronics Inc. (Concert Sponsor); June H. Edwards (Guest Artist Underwriter).

Tickets start at $18 and are on sale at The Morris Box Office, by phone at 574-235-9190 or online at www.MorrisCenter.org.  The Morris Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Tickets can also be purchased at Hammes Bookstore/Eddy Street Commons, O’Brien Recreation Center and TG Music in Goshen.  Tickets for full-time students are always $8 with photo ID.

Details for the SBSO’s 2016-17 “Season of Discovery” can be found at www.southbendsymphony.org.