The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: The Middleton Community Orchestra opens its new season with an all-British program plus guest artists this Wednesday night.

By Jacob Stockinger

The Middleton Community Orchestra (or MCO, below in a photo by William Ballhorn) will present “The British are Coming” at the Middleton Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. this Wednesday night, Nov. 14, when the MCO launches its 2012-13 season with a concert featuring great symphonic works by England’s most renowned composers.

The Middleton Performing Arts Center (below) adjoins Middleton High School. Tickets are $10.  All students are admitted free of charge.

And The Ear wants to add that the last time he went to an MCO concert, which was last spring, he had a terrific time first listening to the fine performances MSO and pianist Thomas Kasdorf of masterpieces by von Suppe, Mozart and Brahms, and then mingling with the musicians and other audience members amid generous free refreshments. Here is a link to the very positive review of that concert and experience, one that might make you want to attend this concert:

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/classical-music-review-let-us-now-praise-amateur-music-makers-and-restoring-sociability-to-art-here-are-9-reasons-why-i-liked-and-you-should-attend-the-middleton-community-orchestra/

In addition to fiery excerpts (“Mars,” “Uranus,” “Venus” and “Jupiter”) from “The Planets” by English composer Gustav Holst, audiences will hear MCO Conductor Steve Kurr (below) lead the orchestra in live performances of works by George Frederic Handel (“The Royal Fireworks Music”) and Edward Elgar (“Pomp and Circumstance” March No. 4).

Ralph Vaughan Williams‘ beautiful violin masterpiece, “The Lark Ascending” (at bottom, Hilary Hahn plays the opening on a YouTube video) will add to an already outstanding program. It wil be performed by the new Madison Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Naha Greenholtz (below top) and with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Principal Clarinetist and MCO Guest Conductor, Kyle Knox (below bottom).

This powerhouse husband-and-wife team joins the Middleton Community Orchestra as part of our annual Rising Stars initiative, which brings extraordinary young musicians with strong ties to the Greater Middleton Area to perform as guest artists with the MCO.

For more information about attending concerts by the Middleton Community Orchestra; joining it; and supporting it, visit:

http://middletoncommunityorchestra.org