The Lakeland Civic Orchestra will present their third concert of the 2018-2019 season, “Of Paradise and Light,” Sunday, March 10, at 4 p.m. in the Dr. Wayne L. Rodehorst Performing Arts Center in the D-Building on the college’s campus at 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland, 44094.

Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and $2 for students. Tickets are available at the door, by calling the Lakeland Box Office at 440.525.7134 or online by visiting lakelandcc.edu/arts.

Dr. Matthew C. Saunders will lead the 45-member orchestra in performances of Augusta Read Thomas’ “Of Paradise and Light,” Karl Jenkins’ “Palladio,” Camille Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3, and William Grant Still’s “Afro-American Symphony.” Augusta Read Thomas is one of America’s foremost living composers, and her work has been performed internationally, including by the Cleveland Orchestra. William Grant Still, referred to as The Dean of African-American Composers, worked with Eubie Blake and Paul Whiteman, but turned to concert music early on in his career. His “Afro-American Symphony” was the first symphony by an African-American composer to be performed by a major American symphony orchestra in 1930, and has remained in the repertoire since. It blends classical structures and techniques with the harmonies and melodic approach of jazz and blues.

Featured in this concert, will be fourteen-year-old Moshi Tang performing as violin soloist. He is the junior division winner of the Lakeland Young Artists’ Concerto Competition. Tang is a student of Joan Kwon in the Cleveland Institute of Music Preparatory Department and a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. He has won many awards in competitions and has performed as a soloist with other orchestras. Tang is a student at Hawken School.

Also featured are the dancers of the Fine Arts Association’s Dance Factory in “Diamonds,” a dance choreographed by Rebecca Sanders to the music of Karl Jenkins.

About the orchestra

Dr. Matthew C. Saunders, who is a professor of music and chair of the music department at Lakeland Community College, is in his fifth season as the director of the Lakeland Civic Orchestra. Saunders’ original compositions have been performed throughout the United States and internationally. The Lakeland Civic Orchestra performs four concerts annually, and rehearses Monday evenings on Lakeland’s Main Campus from August through May. Orchestra members come from many different backgrounds, from passionate amateurs to professional musicians seeking additional performance opportunities, and from ages 14 to 80. Lakeland students may earn one college credit per semester for their participation.

About the civic music programs.

Lakeland Community College provides community members the opportunity to express and advance their talents by performing in four music groups: the Lakeland Civic Band, the Lakeland Civic Chorus, the Lakeland Civic Jazz Orchestra and the Lakeland Civic Orchestra.Additionally, the college offers talented high school students Jazz Impact, an all-star high school music group.

For more information about the civic music groups and auditions, contact Jeri Lynn Pilarczyk in the Arts and Sciences Division at 440.525.7261 or email jpilarczyk5@lakelandcc.edu

Lakeland Community College is located at the I-90 East/ Route 306 exit. Free parking is available.

By: Jeri Pilarczyk