Photo Courtesy South Orange Symphony South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, center, presents conductor Susan Haig, right, with a citation commemorating the Orchestra’s 75th anniversary season, as Orchestra President Janet Poland looks on.
By John Tierney
Special to the News-Record
South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, center, presents conductor Susan Haig, right, with a citation commemorating the Orchestra’s 75th anniversary season, as Orchestra President Janet Poland looks on.
Celebrating its 75th season of concerts for the community, the South Orange Symphony presents a free Family Concert on Sunday Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. at the South Orange Middle School. Susan Haig conducts, and South Orange Village Mayor Sheena Collum makes a special virtuoso appearance in Leroy Anderson’s “The Typewriter.”
The varied program features the Columbia High School Festival Choir, directed by CHS vocal music teacher Nicholas Diaz. The 56-voice ensemble will sing John Williams’s “Dry Your Tears, Afrika,” from the movie, “Amistad,” as well as a traditional South African song, “Hlolonolofatsa.”
The concert is a good introduction to the world of orchestral music. Selections range from Tchaikovsky’s exuberant “Final Waltz” from “The Nutcracker,” to John William’s iconic “March” from “Superman,” and the audience will be informed of what each piece has to offer.
During intermission, children can visit the Instrument “Petting Zoo,” take a close look at the violins, violas, trumpets, trombones and flutes, and perhaps get a quick demo and lesson from a musician. Tchaikovsky’s brilliant “Finale” to his “Symphony No. 5” in E minor concludes the program.
Listeners who recall using manual typewriters will appreciate Anderson’s witty showpiece, punctuated by a desk bell. South Orange Village Mayor Sheena Collum will “play” a vintage typewriter and try to keep up with the orchestra’s jazzy rhythms.
Selections from Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 highlight the dramatic colors of the orchestra: “Morning Mood” depicts nature waking up as the sun
rises; “Anitra’s Dance” is delicate and sultry, and “In the Hall of the Mountain King” evokes mysterious trolls breaking into a frenzied dance.
The South Orange Symphony Orchestra met for its first rehearsal on Nov. 7, 1949 at First Presbyterian and Trinity Church on Irvington Avenue in South Orange and has been active ever since – even during the Covid years.
The orchestra’s 55 professional and amateur musicians are from South Orange and Maplewood and surrounding towns and counties. Students from Columbia High School, Summit High School, and the Cali School at Montclair State University have performed in recent seasons.
The Orchestra performs three free Sunday concerts each year, and at special events such as the “Star-Spangled South Orange” Fourth of July Celebration at Flood’s Hill, and a Messiah Sing-Along at First Presbyterian & Trinity Church. Its mission is to present a diverse repertoire that spans classical traditions and popular forms and enhances the cultural life of our community.
The SO Symphony is seeking string players and volunteer board members. Help in publicity, fundraising, and strategic planning is most welcome. Contact the orchestra through the website. Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 91, South Orange, NJ 07079. Parking is on N. Ridgewood Rd. or in the lot behind SOMS, 70 N. Ridgewood Rd., South Orange.
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