The first concert of our 41^st season, sub-titled “A Story Runs Through It” begins with three works about water.  “A River Runs Through It” is a more apt title for the first half of our concert!   Handel’s famous Baroque period “Water Music” Suite in the somewhat romanticized orchestration by Hamilton Hardy, begins the concert, while Sir Malcolm Arnold’s three-movement “Water Music” suite will be performed prior to intermission.  Between the two Water Music works the SSO will once again perform Kile Smith’s “Susquehanna”!  This work was a 40^th Season SSO commission which the orchestra premiered last March and also performed at its June outdoor concert.  “Susquehanna” has been much loved by both audience and musicians alike!

The 2^nd half of the concert will feature music with a story.  Amanda Harberg’s “Elegy” was written in memory of a mutual loved one.   We performed the same work in its Viola Solo with String Orchestra version a few years ago.  Schumann’s favorite “Manfred Overture” is based on a story by Lord Byron, and then the orchestra will be joined by choruses to perform two works by Lutheran composers: Mendelssohn’s “He Watching Over Israel” from Elijah, and Handel’s ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from Messiah, to commemorate the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation.

This concert certainly has something for everyone!