The Vermont Philharmonic will present one of the country's top classical trumpet players in a concert titled "Trumpeting Spring" on Sunday, April 28th at 2:00 pm at the Barre Opera House, with Music Director Lou Kosma conducting.
The program's featured work is the Trumpet Concerto by Richard Stöhr, performed by Billy R. Hunter Jr, the distinguished Principal Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York City. Stöhr began his musical career in Vienna, where he was a successful composer and professor at the Vienna Academy of Music in the 1920s and 30s. He continued on at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and eventually landed at St. Michael's College in Colchester. The Vermont Philharmonic has previously featured the little-known Stöhr in order to give his works the light that they deserve.
One of Vermont's favorite sopranos, Mary Bonhag, also joins the Vermont Philharmonic to perform Reflections on the Way, four beautiful songs by another Vermont composer, Erik Nielsen, set to poems by David Budbill. The program opens with Felix Mendelssohn's evocative and dramatic overture to Die schöne Melusine ("The FairMelusine").
Now in its 65th Season, the Vermont Philharmonic has been making beautiful music since 1959. It is Vermont's oldest community orchestra. Tickets ($25/adults, $20/seniors, and $5/students) are available at the door, or online at vermontphilharmonic.com. Note: The VPO will also perform the concert on Saturday, April 27th at 7:30 pm at the Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph.