Contact: Sasha Steinberg
Photo by: Megan Bean
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The Starkville-Mississippi State University Symphony Orchestra will present its first concert of the spring season Feb. 28 in Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium.
Sponsored by the Starkville-MSU Symphony Association, the 7:30 p.m. program will feature two of the greatest works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91).
The program opens with the Austrian composer's last work, "Symphony No. 41." Dubbed "The Jupiter" due to the strength and power of its finale fugato movement, it was considered a colossal work worthy of the largest planet.
The Saturday night program concludes with "Requiem." Though left unfinished at Mozart's death, its movements were completed from sketches by his students. The first performance served as a memorial to its legendary creator.
The orchestra will be joined in the performance by the Starkville-MSU Symphony Chorus and singers from the MSU and Mississippi University for Women choral departments. The MUW group is directed by assistant music professor Phillip H. Stockton; the Starkville-MSU Symphony Chorus, by Doug Browning, music director at Columbus' First United Methodist Church.
Gary Packwood, MSU assistant music professor and choral activities director, will conduct the choir of more than 250, as well as the orchestra. He also will lead four MSU music faculty colleagues serving as "Requiem" soloists.
They include Tara Warfield, assistant voice professor, soprano; Jeanette Fontaine, voice lecturer, mezzo-soprano; Peter Infanger, adjunct voice instructor, baritone/bass; and Ryan Landis, voice instructor, tenor.
For additional concert information, contact Michael Brown, MSU music professor and SSO music director, at 662-325-3070 or mbrown@colled.msstate.edu.
Founded in 1969, the Starkville-MSU Symphony Association is a non-profit volunteer organization whose members work to educate, enlighten and share classical music with the city, university campus and other communities in the Golden Triangle region. Producing high-quality musical events and increasing awareness for the arts are its primary missions. For more, visit www.starkvillesymphony.org and facebook.com/StarkvilleSymphony.
In addition to MSU and the City of Starkville, major association contributors include the J.W. Criss Foundation, Mississippi Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Renasant Bank, Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Columbus-based Gildea Foundation.
The association accepts tax-deductible donations via the MSU Foundation. To contribute, contact Lynn Durr at 662-325-8918 or ldurr@advservices.msstate.edu.
Complete details about Mississippi's flagship research university may be found at www.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate, pinterest.com/msstate and www.twitter.com/msstate.