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Dear Friends of the Civic Symphony Orchestra:

Can an experience be enjoyable, educational, and affordable all at once? Yes, I believe it can be done.

All of the Civic’s programs in 2007-8 bring together youth, education, and talent in an accessible way. We will be featuring two stunning young soloists, cellist Nicholas Finch and guitarist Grigory Goryachev, as well as some veteran and established performers, local composers, a guest conductor, a tribute to a fount of music education--and of course our own outstanding scholarship players and highly skilled community players.

I call this season “An Adventure in Music––A Season of Discovery.” Let me explain.

We will perform music of the great masters you love, yet also include some of their compositions that may be unfamiliar to you until now. Discovery! For many concert-goers here is a chance to experience and develop an appreciation for music you may not have realized even existed. Adventure!

The Boston composer Jan Swafford is also a successful biographer of Brahms, Ives, and Beethoven. Well, you guessed it: one program will have works by some of these composers and a fascinating one by Mr. Swafford himself. A work by another local composer, Larry Bell of the New England Conservatory’s composition faculty, will be performed in our November tribute to NEC.

Our popular pre-concert talks will continue for the subscription concerts, and to add to the interest, besides Steven Ledbetter for the Regis College series, each of the Jordan Hall programs will feature the composers Swafford and Bell discussing their own music in that concert.

Returning piano virtuoso Virginia Eskin and the Boston Symphony Orchestra's brilliant principal second violinist, Haldan Martinson, will present very worthy yet lesser-known pieces. A family holiday pops concert will include some familiar features and special music for children. We will present ten-year-old Ryan Williams, boy soprano, along with his father, baritone Ron Williams, narrating the perennial favorite The Snowman. And following the tradition that began only last year, all the children will get a chance to conduct the orchestra in “Sleigh Ride” to end the program.

Newcomers to Civic concerts literally tell us that they were “blown away” by the orchestra. They have learned what our long-time supporters already know:

the Civic is a gem! Come and see for yourself. Explore our concert offerings and return to this site for new information and special features. And join us for a full season of great musical adventures for all ages.

I’m looking forward to seeing each and every one of you, plus a few of your friends, in our audience.

Max Hobart, Music Director