The Lakeland Civic Orchestra will present their first concert of 2023, titled “Beethoven and Friends,” Sunday, March 5, 2023, at 4 p.m. in the Dr. Wayne L. Rodehorst Performing Arts Center on Lakeland’s campus.

Under the direction of Dr. Matthew Saunders, the 55-member Civic Orchestra will present a selection of both classical and contemporary pieces. The concert will open with Leonard Bernstein’s Selection from “West Side Story,” often regarded as an American “Romeo and Juliet” with its romantic melodies and intense, emotional orchestration. The program then continues with the Symphonie Concertante in G major by Joseph du Boulogne, a French Creole composer in pre-Revolutionary Paris who influenced the work of a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Appearing as soloists in this set are Andrew Sords and Mari Sato, world-class violinists. To follow is a modern piece titled “Seven O’Clock Shout” from Valerie Coleman, a 2020 composition honoring the essential workers of the COVID-19 pandemic. Closing the program is none other than Ludwig van Beethoven’s classic Symphony No. 2 in D major, a vital and ironic look at the human condition through Beethoven’s eyes.

The Lakeland Diversity Committee has provided funding assistance for the presentation of works by Boulogne and Coleman.

Guests of all ages interested in a broad range of musical styles are encouraged to attend. Concert tickets are available at the box office or online atlakelandcc.edu/arts. Ticket prices are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and veterans and $2 for students. Online purchasers should bring their order confirmation to show at the door. The Dr. Wayne L. Rodehorst Performing Arts Center is located on the first floor of the D-Building on the campus of Lakeland Community College. Lakeland Community College is located at the I-90/State Route 306 exit. Free parking is available.

ABOUT THE LAKELAND CIVIC ORCHESTRA

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 ENSEMBLES

Lakeland Community College provides community members the opportunity to express and advance their talents by performing in five music groups: the Lakeland Civic Band, the Lakeland Civic Chorus, the Lakeland Civic Flute Choir, 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.

ABOUT LAKELAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

For more than 50 years, Lakeland Community College has impacted thousands of lives through learning. Founded in 1967, Lakeland was the first college in Ohio created by a vote of the people. True to its mission, the college provides quality learning opportunities to nearly 8,000 credit students to meet the needs of the community at its campus in Kirtland and online.

Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, Lakeland offers more than 140 associate degree and certificate programs that may lead to high-demand careers or transfer to four-year institutions. The college also provides access to bachelor’s, graduate and doctorate degrees along with certificates and endorsements, as well as lifelong learning opportunities, on campus through the Holden University Center of Lakeland, in partnership with 11 four-year institutions.

By: Jeri L. Pilarczyk