The Gwinnett Philharmonic opens
season Oct. 8-9 playing favorites
By Monte Nichols
Music director and conductor
The Gwinnett Philharmonic
Special to GwinnettForum.com

SEPT.18, 2001 - - The Gwinnett Philharmonic presents concerts in the fall, winter, and spring at a venue that has become a favorite among the music lovers of Gwinnett and the surrounding counties. That's the Gwinnett Civic and Cultural Center's Performing Arts Center.

Discriminating musicians appreciate this 700-seat hall as a favorable acoustical environment. If you haven't experienced the sounds of 65-75 professional musicians in a room of this quality, then prepare yourself for a surprise.

After a concert, one of my favorite things to do is to visit with music lovers in the foyer. It is not unusual for first-time audience members to exit the concert hall exclaiming, "I didn't expect to be caught up in the music." Or this comment: "We were surrounded with sonic energy-it's so different from hearing a recording!" I've also heard: "What an incredible 'live music' experience!"

The next time I expect to hear such comments will be October 8 and 9. That's when the Gwinnett Philharmonic will host Cary and Dorothy Lewis in World Premiere performances of renowned Georgia composer, Charles Knox's "Concert Piece for Cello, Piano and Orchestra."

This incredibly talented duo will also be featured on a jazzy tune called "Dark Serenade" by another award winning composer with a Georgia background, James Oliverio. The orchestra will round out the program with a couple of favorite overtures and will conclude the evening with Tchaikovsky's beloved "Romeo and Juliet."

On February 18 and 19, the Philharmonic will play with the Emory University Concert Choir and the Atlanta Sacred Chorale (formerly the Gwinnett Festival Singers) and a cast of soloists in Mozart's "great" Mass in C. The performance forces will be under the baton of Guest Conductor Eric Nelson.

The season finale? That will be "The Philharmonic Plays Favorites." Our seventh season will conclude with a "build your own concert" program on April 15 and 16, 2002.

That's where you can come in. We are asking our friends to suggest what we should play for the spring concert. Deadline is December 31, 2001. All requests will be considered and a program of favorites will be assembled. You're invited to submit your requests to P.O. Box 920159, Norcross, Ga. 30010 or electronically to gwinphilharmonic@mindspring.com.

Tickets are still available for all performances through Ticket Master outlets, but the best prices are through the Gwinnett Civic Center box office.

Remember, we play favorites. Join the Gwinnett Philharmonic Association, Inc. for as little as $35 for a family-and save! You will receive substantial discounts on concert tickets.

If you are joining, you can call the box office at 770-623-4966 and handle it all over the phone. For the October concerts, mention this article and ask for a "buy one-get one free" ticket special for FIRST-TIME Gwinnett Philharmonic attendees. Sign up, too, for future Email concert announcements.

Making great music accessible to the folks of Gwinnett and the surrounding region is the mission of the Gwinnett Philharmonic. Conducting this group in great music is one of the treasured personal privileges of my life. In fact, among my activities, you could say it's a favorite!

We hope to see you at future Philharmonic performances!

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