Photo by Jake Koteen

It is very exciting for our wonderful community orchestra to be heading into the second decade of music-making here in West Hartford! The fact that there has been little turnover in the personnel of the orchestra during the past ten years has really allowed the group to strengthen and improve in quality. Our student members have added their energy and our veteran adult members have added their experience and guidance.

The orchestra has served as a melting pot for the various ages and generations of its members, all held together by the common thread of our love of music. This new season will continue the adventure that began ten years ago. Our 11th season will include concerto soloist Carin Wiesner, our concertmaster, playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, an orchestra and chorus concert featuring Beethoven’s powerful Choral Fantasy with pianist Eric Ouellette and the Kingswood Oxford Concert Chorus.

In the spring the orchestra will continue its newly formed tradition of performing an in-school Children’s Concert for all the third graders of West Hartford schools. Our Pops concert, traditionally the last concert of our season, will herald in Mark Perman, a newcomer to our stage who has performed on Broadway as well as many other stages.

All in all, this is an exciting way to begin our journey into “Music for a Second Decade.” We hope you’ll enjoy the ride along with us!

Richard Chiarappa
Music Director