Penfield Symphony Orchestra's "Brahms and Castanets" Concert

The Penfield Symphony Orchestra will present “Brahms and Castanets,” the first concert of its 64th season, sponsored by Heathwood Assisted Living & Memory Care. The first half of the concert will feature the engaging rhythms of Spanish and Latin American music by Chabrier, Moncayo, Márquez, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Brahms’ famous Symphony No. 2 completes the performance.

The concert will be held on October 28, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. at the Penfield High School Auditorium, located at 25 High School Drive in Penfield, New York. Tickets can be purchased online at www.penfieldsymphony.org, by phone at 585-872-0774, at all area Wegmans, the Penfield Recreation Department, Canandaigua National Bank (Penfield Branch), and at the door on the night of the concert. Advance tickets cost $15 for adults ($16 at the door), and $12 for senior citizens 60 and over ($16 at the door). For students of any age with a student ID, advance tickets are free or $1 at the door.

Chabrier composed his most brilliant work, España, based upon the fascinating rhythms he heard while visiting Spain, such as the jota, fandango, and malequeña. Moncayo’s Huapango features complex duple and triple meters, and the trumpet and trombone are prominent as they mimic the singing of men during the huapango dance. Márquez’ Congo del Fuego Nuevo (Conga of the New Fire) is inspired by the enticing rhythms of the Afro-Cuban conga. Of the Capriccio espagnol, Rimsky-Korsakov wrote: “The Spanish themes, of dance character, furnished me with rich material for putting in use multiform orchestral effects, vividly brilliant for all that.” Johannes Brahms wrote most of his Second Symphony during a vacation in Austria. A joyfulness permeates the entire work, and, even with its more tense, dramatic times, there is still a lightness and great spirit to be enjoyed by all.

Directed by Dr. David Harman since 2000, this 90-piece orchestra enriches the community by providing fine music and a setting where both amateur and professional musicians perform a variety of classical music. For information on concerts and highlights, follow the Penfield Symphony Orchestra on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PenfieldSymphonyOrchestra, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PenfieldSym, or visit the website at http://www.penfieldsymphony.org.