Henderson Symphony to open season with Beethoven, Schumann

The Henderson Symphony Orchestra is set to kick off its 2014-15 season with a diverse collection of performances.

The opening concert scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Henderson Pavilion, 200 S. Green Valley Parkway, is set to feature Beethoven’s “Coriolan Overture” and Schumann’s “Symphony No. 4,” according to conductor Taras Krysa.

“We will also be playing a double concerto featuring two soloists,” Krysa said. “Andy Smith, who is a professor at UNLV, will be playing the cello and Oleh Krysa, who happens to be my father, will be on the violin.”

The season is set to feature 10 performances: five master works, three holiday celebrations, a Clark County School District concert and a collaboration with the group’s Young Artists program.

“It’s a very different and diverse program,” Taras Krysa said. “We try to play different kinds of music, such as classical, Broadway, alternative stuff, while servicing the community, schools and city.”

As conductor, Krysa is in charge of selecting the performance pieces. He said he thinks of three things when creating each lineup.

“The most important thing to consider is the needs of the orchestra,” Krysa said. “I select things that keep them challenged, motivated and fresh. There has to be a delicate balance between the technical difficulty and the musical familiarity of each piece.”

Second, Krysa considers the needs of the audience.

“Our audience is always diverse, so we try to be as diverse as possible,” Kyrsa said. “We try to hit different areas, both musically and geographically, so they’re exposed to things they are and aren’t familiar with.”

Lastly, Krysa selects things he likes.

“The key to success is variety,” he said. “That’s why I love doing what I do. It’s like being the curator of a museum. You get to choose which da Vinci piece will hang today and which Raphael piece will be there tomorrow.”

The Henderson Symphony Orchestra is composed of 60 to 80 members who play string, wind and brass instruments, along with percussion, piano and harp.

Concertmaster Garth McBride said he has played the violin with the group for about 10 years. He’s the principal first violinist and serves as the designated leader of the orchestra.

“I’ve played in a lot of groups in the past, but when you reach a certain stage, you either play professionally or in an amateur orchestra,” McBride said. “This orchestra provides the format for people like myself who don’t want to give up playing and who want to play as an amateur. It’s an environment where everyone wants to be there because they want to play.”

A fall concert is planned for 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Henderson Pavilion and is set to cover Russian works, such as Stravinsky’s “Scherzo a la Russe” and Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 5.”

The orchestra is set to return to the pavilion at 8 p.m. Feb. 6 to perform American tunes, such as Harbison’s “Great Gatsby” foxtrot, Copland’s “Music for the Theatre” and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” featuring UNLV jazz director David Loeb.

Additional performances include a Veterans Day show at 10 a.m. Nov. 8 at the Henderson Events Plaza, 200 S. Water St., followed by WinterFest at 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Henderson Convention Center, 240 S. Water St.

“We’re supported by the city, so we don’t sell tickets,” Krysa said. “Since our performances are free, it gives us more freedom in selecting the best pieces for our audiences.”

For more information, visit hendersonsymphony.org.

Contact Henderson View reporter Caitlyn Belcher at cbelcher@viewnews.com or 702-383-0403.