Press Releases

October, 26 2009 - A concert dedicated to heroes, past and present

For the second concert of the Masterworks season, Quad City Symphony Orchestra is performing a concert dedicated to heroes past and present with music from Joseph Schwanter and Ludwig Van Beethoven. These concerts will be performed on November 7 and 8, and are sponsored by Genesis Hospice Services. Saturday evening's concert will be held at the Adler Theatre in Davenport at 8 PM, and followed on Sunday afternoon at 2 PM at Centennial Hall in Rock Island. Tickets for this concert can be purchased in person at the QCSO Box Office, 327 Brady Street in Davenport, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at www.QCSymphony.com.

This concert begins with Joseph Schwantner’s New Morning for the World. A symphonic biography, this piece sets to music excerpts from the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. This tribute to the great civil rights leader will be narrated by Johnnie M. Woods, who has received numerous awards for her community service including most recently the "I have a dream" award from the King Community Center in Rock Island.

This modern American symphony is paired with Beethoven’s Third Symphony, originally written in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte. However, when Napoleon betrayed the democratic ideals of the French Revolution and declared himself emperor, Beethoven famously scratched “Buonaparte” from the top of the score and instead dedicated the work simply to heroes with the title “Sinfonia Eroica” or Heroic Symphony.

These two pieces of music share the theme of heroism, albeit from differing perspectives. With this in mind, the QCSO has asked area student to tell us about their heroes. Through area education programs, the QCSO is currently collecting student essays on the theme of heroes. The winning essay will be included in the concert presentation and the student's family will win free tickets to the remainder of the QCSO season together with a $100 gift certificate from a local book store.

On the Thursday before the concerts, Quad Citians will get the chance to hear Music Director Mark Russell Smith give his insights into the upcoming performance at Inside the Music. Expert and novice alike will enjoy this casual musical conversation at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport from 5:00 to 6:30 PM on Thursday, October 30. This event is free to the public, with wine and cheese provided.

Music Director Mark Russell Smith will also be available at Kai Swanson's Concert Conversations, held in the concert hall an hour before each of the weekend's concerts. At Concert Conversations the audience members will be given a quick tour of highlights from the program they are about to experience. This look into the background of the concert's repertoire, sponsored by Rich James of Wells Fargo Advisors, is in its thirteenth year and has become an audience favorite.


	Press Release October, 26 2009 - A concert dedicated to heroes, past and present For the second concert of the Masterworks season, Quad City Symphony Orchestra is performing a concert dedicated to heroes past and present with music from Joseph Schwanter and Ludwig Van Beethoven. These concerts will be performed on November 7 and 8, and are sponsored by Genesis Hospice Services. Saturday evening's concert will be held at the Adler Theatre in Davenport at 8 PM, and followed on Sunday afternoon at 2 PM at Centennial Hall in Rock Island. Tickets for this concert can be purchased in person at the QCSO Box Office, 327 Brady Street in Davenport, by phone at 800.745.3000, or online at www.QCSymphony.com. This concert begins with Joseph Schwantner’s New Morning for the World. A symphonic biography, this piece sets to music excerpts from the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. This tribute to the great civil rights leader will be narrated by Johnnie M. Woods, who has received numerous awards for her community service including most recently the "I have a dream" award from the King Community Center in Rock Island. This modern American symphony is paired with Beethoven’s Third Symphony, originally written in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte. However, when Napoleon betrayed the democratic ideals of the French Revolution and declared himself emperor, Beethoven famously scratched “Buonaparte” from the top of the score and instead dedicated the work simply to heroes with the title “Sinfonia Eroica” or Heroic Symphony. These two pieces of music share the theme of heroism, albeit from differing perspectives. With this in mind, the QCSO has asked area student to tell us about their heroes. Through area education programs, the QCSO is currently collecting student essays on the theme of heroes. The winning essay will be included in the concert presentation and the student's family will win free tickets to the remainder of the QCSO season together with a $100 gift certificate from a local book store. On the Thursday before the concerts, Quad Citians will get the chance to hear Music Director Mark Russell Smith give his insights into the upcoming performance at Inside the Music. Expert and novice alike will enjoy this casual musical conversation at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport from 5:00 to 6:30 PM on Thursday, October 30. This event is free to the public, with wine and cheese provided. Music Director Mark Russell Smith will also be available at Kai Swanson's Concert Conversations, held in the concert hall an hour before each of the weekend's concerts. At Concert Conversations the audience members will be given a quick tour of highlights from the program they are about to experience. This look into the background of the concert's repertoire, sponsored by Rich James of Wells Fargo Advisors, is in its thirteenth year and has become an audience favorite.