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Rhapsody in Blue

Rhapsody in Blue

Jazz-influenced and unforgettable

Experience the phenomenal Gershwin composition, Rhapsody in Blue, featuring internationally celebrated pianist, William Ransom! – April 26th at 7:30 PM with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.  Ransom is described as technically perfect, powerful, and one of the greatest of the new generation of pianist. This is a performance you won’t want to miss.

The sound quality and rich acoustics of Callaway Auditorium let each audience member feel as if they are immersed in the music. This undeniably unique piece of music, which melds several themes into a wonderfully cohesive idea, is at its absolute best experienced LIVE.

Rhapsody in Blue was commissioned by band leader Paul Whiteman.  In February of 1924, this piece premiered in New York during a concert entitled, “An Experiment in Modern Music”. The piece was played by Whiteman’s band, and featured… you guessed it, George Gershwin on piano. Who better to interpret the score? The success of this work solidified Gershwin’s credibility as a serious composer. (and became the bands signature piece)

When is this concert?

On Tuesday, April 26th, 2022 at 7:30 PM, the place to be is the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra “sounds of Home” concert in Callaway Auditorium.  Callaway Auditorium is on the campus of LaGrange College, LaGrange, GA  (Help with directions is immediately below)

Directions

Directions on Google maps can be found HERE or to use your own GPS, the address is 801 Dallis St, LaGrange, GA.

Returning to Callaway Auditorium

The final concert of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra’s 2021-2022 season, Sounds of Home, is a triumphant return home to Callaway Auditorium.  Plan to attend this wonderful event on Tuesday,  April 26th at 7:30 PM.  Located on the campus of LaGrange College, Callaway Auditorium is where LSO concerts normally take place. We are glad to be back home. Slightly different than normal, however, this concert will be “General Admission”.  The open seating will allow concert-goers to comfortably manage their own distance from others. Masks and vaccinations are not required, but are encouraged.  All tickets are $20 with a discount for students.  You may purchase tickets online HERE, or in-person at the box office. This is our finale concert for this season, and we are so thankful to be bringing you “Sounds of Home!”  You won’t want to miss this event!    (Regular season seats will be reinstated for the 2022-23 season beginning in the fall.)

What you will hear

  • Dvorak: New World Symphony
  • Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra will be performing Dvorak’s New World Symphony (click here for more on New World Symphony) along with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue featuring guest artist, William Ransom.  We have been waiting with high anticipation of this concert for two years! This concert line-up was supposed to be the finale program in April of 2020. That was before it had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Here is a little more about our guest artist:

William Ransom, Pianist
William Ransom

WILLIAM RANSOM, PIANIST

Pianist, Artistic Director, master teacher, editor and judge for international competitions, William Ransom appears around the world as soloist with orchestras, recitalist and chamber musician. His performances have been broadcast on National Public Radio and Television in the US, Argentina, Poland and Japan. He regularly collaborates with musicians including Yo-Yo Ma, Richard Stoltzman, William Preucil, Stephen Isserlis, Robert McDuffie, and members of the Tokyo, Cleveland, Juilliard, American, St. Petersburg, Borromeo, Parker, Ariel and Lark String Quartets; the Empire Brass Quintet, Eroica Trio, and the percussion group Nexus among others.

As a master teacher, he also performs and gives master classes at numerous schools of music and universities around the world. He has recorded for ACA Digital and Rising Star Records. Ransom is the Mary Emerson Professor of Piano at Emory University in Atlanta where he is founder and Artistic Director of the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta. A graduate of The Juilliard School and the University of Michigan, in the summers, Ransom is Artistic Director of the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival in North Carolina and for a decade was an artist-faculty member at the Kamisaibara Pianists Camp in Japan. In 2016 he was named Artistic Director of the Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival and also one of Musical America Worldwide’s “30 Musical Innovators”.


Thank you

Thank you for sticking with us through these past two seasons.  Although it has been a challenge, we are grateful for everyone who helped and supported us with broadcasting radio shows, podcasts (found above our News feed HERE), expanding our YouTube channel, finding ways to continue lessons and group practices in socially-distanced settings, beginning our broadcast quality recording library, and in the performances of our youth orchestra and our Music in the Sanctuary concerts (sample HERE).

Thank you for supporting the arts in LaGrange and especially the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.


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[…] phenomenal Gershwin composition, Rhapsody in Blue, featuring internationally celebrated pianist, William Ransom! – April 26th at 7:30 PM with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.  Ransom is described […]

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