Punch Howarth
Linus Lerner might possibly wear his Mandarin jacket to conduct the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra’s concert in January. This program will initiate the 2018 trio of concerts with programs in March and April to follow. The January concert will be a Chinese New Year celebration with the addition of numerous Sino musicians, some of them local. Enhancing the orchestra will be the Tucson Sino Choir directed by Larry Lang, Jing Xia and Xinoyin Zheng soloists. Some of the selections to be performed were composed by Lu Quming, Zhou, Liu Wen-Jin and Wang-Lang. More details will follow later.
Concert-goers need to be aware that the November concert at SaddleBrooke sold out weeks ahead of the program and the Oro Valley repeat concert drew over a three-quarter house. The audiences were very enthusiastic with the Beethoven-Rachmaninoff-Rossini programs voicing many bravos and demanding numerous returns to stage by the conductor and soloist. There were also various well performed solo passages in the orchestra acknowledged by the very capable Guest Conductor Sanchez Haase.
There will be two regular concerts, Saturday, January 27 at SaddleBrooke and Sunday, January 28 in Oro Valley. There may also be performances of this program at other locations to be announced later.
The SASO Family would like to wish one and all a Happy Holiday Season which includes a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Boxing Day, Kwanza and a happy-healthy-prosperous New Year. For concert and orchestra information go to www.sasomusic.org.