FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Colleen Mahoney, (574) 232-6343
South Bend Symphony and Music Director Alastair Willis Announce Details of Upcoming 2019-20 Season!
New Season features part of a multi-year “Beethoven Cycle”, three diverse series, and thrilling programming

SOUTH BEND, In. (February 13, 2019) – Today, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra (SBSO) and Music Director Alastair Willis unveiled the details of the South Bend Symphony’s highly-anticipated 2019-20 Season.

“We are thrilled to share the details of our next Season, shaped in large by the artistic vision of our new Music Director Alastair Willis. During this special Season, the SBSO will continue to present a variety of programs, including popular repertoire as well as exciting new works, will feature high-caliber artists and collaborations, and remain committed to its expansive education and community engagement activities serving thousands in our community”, says SBSO Executive Director Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev.”

After two spectacular seasons with the Symphony, Maestro Alastair Willis will begin his third Season with 20 meticulously programmed concerts that will leave audiences wanting for nothing. From Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks, Pops, and June H. Edwards Mosaic Series concerts to the special concerts audiences have come to love such as two Home for the Holidays concerts and the annual MLK Day Celebration Concert, the SBSO continues to grow in leaps and bounds.

The Symphony will continue its long-standing partnerships with the state-of-the-art performing arts venues of Michiana – The Morris Performing Arts Center in downtown South Bend, and the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame.

The 2019-20 Season truly possesses Alastair Willis’s personal stamp, it is filled with great works near and dear to his heart and innovative programs that have become his professional calling card.

“On behalf of the orchestra, Board, staff and programming committee, I am absolutely thrilled to be announcing next season’s programs. They are the result of a shared vision, one that embraces the whole community and our role as a 21st century orchestra. There is a wonderful spirit of curiosity here in South Bend, one which we will continue to foster and grow in the coming seasons. We look forward to beginning our journey through Beethoven’s 9 symphonies, along Silk Road routes, and exploring great composers through new concert formats. Several programs are perfect for families, including two of our Pops and our Spooktacular! Halloween concert. Our educational work continues to grow and deepen with the wonderfully interactive Carnegie Hall LinkUp programs. I invite you to expand your curiosity, be inspired and exhilarated at our concerts. I look forward to seeing you there!” says SBSO Music Director Alastair Willis
Masterworks: The Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks Series consists of five spectacular programs, including two of the “Beethoven Cycle” concerts. Highlights of the upcoming 2019-20 Season include:

  • Beethoven’s “Eroica” (Sept. 21, 2019): Featuring Strauss’ charismatic tone-poem Don Juan, Anna Clyde’s compelling Midnight Hour, and Beethoven’s mighty Symphony No. 3 – “Eroica”.
  • Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” (Nov. 9, 2019): A first for the SBSO – this crossover performance combines the luster of the Jack M. Champaigne Masterwork Series, and the intimacy of the June H. Edwards Mosaic Series. This concert will feature our string section in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and also two contemporary works: Anthony DiLorenzo’s distinct Jabberwocky, and Manuel De Falla’s El Amor Brujo.
  • Beethoven’s “Pastoral” (Feb. 1, 2020): The second installation of the “Beethoven Cycle” features two works of “living Beethoven’s” – Behzad Ranjbaran’s colorful Seven Passages, and Tan Dun’s exotic Pipa Concerto ending with Beethoven’s expansive “Pastoral” Symphony.
  • Mahler’s “Resurrection” (Apr. 4, 2020): There aren’t many things that resemble a Mahler symphony. Witness history unfold with a performance of Mahler’s grandiose Symphony No. 2 – “Resurrection”
  • Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 (May 2, 2020): Our final concert of the 2019-20 Jack M. Champaigne series will exhibit two staples of the orchestral repertoire to come out of Russia – Rachmaninoff’s dazzling Symphonic Dances, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic Piano Concerto No. 1.

Pops: From blockbuster movies, to the Broadway stage, to radio hits from every decade, the Pops Series offers something for every music lover! Highlights of the 2019-20 Season include:

  • Women Rock (Oct. 19, 2019): Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, and Heart are all proof that “women rock!” Three dynamic young female Broadway stars join the SBSO for an evening of smash hits including “Take Another Piece of My Heart”, “Proud Mary”, “Hit Me With You Best Shot”, “These Dreams”, and more.
  • Hollywood Hits (Feb. 15, 2020): Relive some of Hollywood’s greatest moments as the SBSO performs blockbuster scores from movies including James Bond, Rocky, and Gone With The Wind – complete with images from these iconic films projected on a big screen.
  • West Side Story (Apr. 18 & 19, 2019): South Bend Civic Theater and the SBSO join forces for a full production of Leonard Bernstein’s most beloved musical. Experience forbidden love, fierce family loyalties, and the ruthless feud between the Sharks and the Jets through the iconic music of West Side Story! Mosaic: The

June H. Edwards Mosaic Series is a unique 3-concert series that features diverse works in a more intimate setting. The upcoming Season features two installments of the multi-season “Beethoven Cycle”. Highlights include:

  • Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” (Nov. 10, 2019): A first for the SBSO – this crossover performance combines the luster of the Jack M. Champaigne Masterwork Series, and the intimacy of the June H. Edwards Mosaic Series. This concert will feature our string section in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and also two contemporary works: Anthony DiLorenzo’s distinct Jabberwocky, and Manuel De Falla’s El Amor Brujo.
  • “Vienna Impressions” (Jan. 12, 2020): Join Maestro Willis and the SBSO for a special concert presentation exploring the musical spirit of Vienna. This musical journey will include works by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and more!
  • Beethoven’s Fourth (Mar. 16, 2020): The final concert of the 2019-20 Season’s Beethoven Cycle features Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky’s sentimental Musica Nostalgica and Beethoven’s mischievously witty Symphony No. 4. SBSO

Specials: Special programs that have become a tradition for audiences of all ages across Michiana. These concerts are always introducing new twists, exciting repertoire, and high-caliber guest artists.

  • Polar Express (Dec. 1, 2019): Chris Van Allsburg’s award-winning story “The Polar Express” comes to life in a special musical presentation accompanied by images from the iconic book.
  • Home for the Holidays (Dec. 21 & 22, 2019): Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with the SBSO’s annual holiday spectacular! A sparkling mix of popular tunes, traditional carols, and classical favorites.
  • MLK Day Celebration Concert (Jan. 2020): Join the SBSO for this annual concert tribute commemoration Dr. King and celebrating diversity in our community. Featuring the Junior Division Winner of the 2019 Sphinx Competition

Education and Community Engagement Program Highlights:

  • Symphony-to-Go – FREE Community Performances: SBSO’s Principal players will present more than 50 free ensemble performances in schools, retirement homes, libraries, and community centers. These interactive musical presentations are tailored to each audience and are provided free of charge to the host venue.
  • The Shein Family Young People’s Discovery Concerts – Link-Up Program (Nov, 2019): For the thrid year, the SBSO will partner with Carnegie Hall’s Link-Up program – a highly participatory educational program, during which the students get to join the orchestra. The Orchestra Moves, Link-Up’s newest addition, will be featured and all participants will be provided with extensive teacher guides and student materials free of charge. • MLK Day Celebration Concert (Jan. 2020): The SBSO will continue to serve as the grand-finale of the city-wide celebration. This concert features a national partnership with the Sphinx Organization – dedicated to celebrating diversity through the arts.

Discounts, priority seating, and other exclusive benefits are available to early season subscribers. 2019-20 Season Subscription details and information on the remaining concerts of the current Season will be available in the coming weeks online at www.southbendsymphony.org or by phone at (574) 232-6343.

Single ticket prices start at $19 and students can attend any SBSO performance starting at just $10. Individual tickets for Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks and Pops Series concerts will be available starting in August at The Morris Box Office, open Tuesday – Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., by phone at (574) 235-9190 or online at morriscenter.org. Tickets to the June H. Edwards Mosaic Series concerts will be available starting in August at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Ticket Office, open Monday – Friday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., by phone (574) 631-2800 or online at www.performingarts.nd.edu.