As we roll past midsummer, a flurry of announcements herald the upcoming cultural season - including the new Delaware Symphony Orchestra this fall.
DSO Executive Director J.C. Barker says selecting a season includes considering schedules, repertoires, new and old, the budget, and the various communities involved.
"A variety of guest artists year-to-year is a big part of the process. In this upcoming season for us, we have three guest conductors that are going to be with us, and so coordinating their ideas about programming within the scope and the arc of the season is also a lot of discussion."
The Delaware Symphony embarks on its 118th season with Sky, Sea, and Rhapsody under the baton of Music Director Laureate David Amado October 13th.
Along with favorites from Debussy, Glinka and Rachmaninoff, Symphony Executive Director J.C. Barker lauds the inclusion of contemporary composer Toru Takemitsu’s 1977 piece, A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden.
Barker explains the balancing act used as a symphony considers a mix of audience favorites and newer compositions when planning a season.
"We have brilliant compositions that are being created daily, and, in this season particularly, and in a lot of seasons that you put together you always are considering what’s new - how they complement each other within the course of a single concert, and how each each single concert complements the other concerts within in the course of the season."
The DSO’s new season features 7 Classics series concerts and 3 Chamber series concerts. There are performances at the Hotel DuPont, Dupont Country Club and Cape Henlopen High School is Lewes - in addition DSO’s shows at the Grand in Wilmington.
