UA’s Huxford, Tuscaloosa Orchestras Join for First Time

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — For the first time, The University of Alabama’s Huxford Symphony Orchestra and the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra will come together to perform a joint concert.

The concert, “Reveries and Wonders,” will take place at 7 p.m. April 24 at the Moody Music Concert Hall on UA’s campus.

This will be the final concert of the season for both orchestras.

“We have a really exciting collaboration going on,” said Blake Richardson, UA assistant professor of orchestral studies, director of orchestral studies and conductor of the Huxford Symphony Orchestra.

“People coming will get to hear an orchestra that’s larger than any orchestra they’ve heard in the Tuscaloosa area. Also, the pieces being performed are exciting, and anyone who is starting to love classical music will enjoy these pieces. Anyone who is already a fan will find that these pieces will satisfy their appetite for classical music.”

Each orchestra will play a piece on its own in the first half of the concert, and during the second half of the concert the orchestras will combine to form an orchestra of more than 100 members and jointly perform two pieces.

The piece Huxford will play in the first half is “Leonore Overture No. 3” by Ludwig van Beethoven. The piece the Tuscaloosa Symphony will play is “Le Tombeau De Couperin” by Maurice Ravel.

The two pieces the orchestras will perform jointly are “The Fountains of Rome” by composer Ottorino Respighi and “Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2” by Maurice Ravel. Richardson said the Tuscaloosa Symphony conductor, Adam Flatt, will conduct one piece, and the other will be conducted by him.

Each piece is about 15 minutes.

“This is a great chance for students who are working toward careers as professional musicians to work alongside people who do work as professional musicians and to learn from their experience and knowledge,” Richardson said.

“There are many UA music faculty who play in TSO, so the students will have a chance to play with their teachers. Many Alabama Symphony members also play in TSO.”

Tickets are $40 for adults, $30 for students. They can be purchased at the TSO website.