We recently received a letter from the Staller Center detailing their upcoming "Orchestra to the Orchestra" program designed to introduce middle and high school age music students to the greater community of orchestra players on Long Island.

We think this is a great program and a fantastic opportunity for you young musicians out there to see live orchestral music. Keep reading to find out all the details...

Dear Music Teachers and Administrators,

We are pleased to invite you and your students to the Staller Center’s “Orchestra to the Orchestra” program, an outreach program that provides middle and high school age musicians the opportunity to attend Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra concerts at no cost.

In 2011 we began “Orchestra to the Orchestra” with the goal of bringing music students to the Staller Center to hear classical music performed live. In today’s society, classical music is very accessible, with recordings easily found on iTunes or YouTube. While recordings are an excellent way to promote classical music, they cannot compare to the experience of attending a live performance. At a live performance the musical energy is palpable. The performers’ enthusiasm and passion mix with the audiences’ thrill and delight to create a wholly unique experience. Our “Orchestra to Orchestra” program would be a great way to allow your students to reaffirm their love for classical music and to show them a new and exciting way to appreciate music.

The Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra is composed of outstanding musicians from all over the world pursuing advanced studies in the graduate school of the Department of Music with renowned performance faculty. These musicians have devoted their lives to music; spending hours studying, practicing, and performing. In taking part in the “Orchestra to Orchestra” program your students will not only enjoy an evening of wonderful music, but they will be inspired by the talented musicians performing in front of them.

The “Orchestra to Orchestra” program is funded by the Barbara Wien Endowment for Arts Education, and will cover the cost of the tickets and transportation to and from the concert. There will also be a free pre-concert lecture held by Michael Hershkowitz before the concert in the Staller Center Recital Hall at 7 pm.

Below are the dates of the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra 2014-2015 concert season:

Concert No. 1: Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 8 pm, Main Stage

Conductor: Jeffrey Milarsky

Program: Strauss, Don Juan; Hindemith, Horn Concerto; Bartók, The Miraculos Mandarin Suite. Featuring Amr Selim, horn soloist, winner of the 2013 Graduate Concerto Competition.

Concert No. 2: Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 8 pm, Main Stage

Conductor: Angel Gil-Ordóñez

Program: Mozart, Overture to La Clemenza di Tito; Chopin, Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor; Mahler, Symphony No. 4 in G major. Featuring Ko-Eun Lee, piano soloist, winner of the 2014 Graduate Concerto Competition.

Concert No. 3: Saturday, December 8, 2014 at 8 pm, Main Stage

Conductor: George Manahan

Program: Ravel, Rapsodie Espagnole; Sibelius, Violin Concerto; Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World.” Featuring Petteri Iivonen, violin soloist, winner of the 2014 Graduate Concerto Competition.

Concert No. 4: Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 8 pm, Main Stage

Conductor: Paul Watkins

Program: Haydn, Symphony No. 68 in B-flat major; Brahms, Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor;       Mark-Anthony Turnage, Texan Tenebrae; and  Rachmaninoff, The Symphonic Dances. Featuring Hsin-Chiao Liao, piano soloist, winner of the 2014 Graduate Concerto Competition.

Concert No. 5: Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 8 pm, Main Stage

Conductor: Eduardo Leandro                        

Program: Beethoven, Leonore Overture No. 3; C.P.E. Bach, Flute Concerto in D minor; Peter Winkler, Symphony (premiere of revised version). Featuring Ray Furuta, flute soloist, winner of the 2014 Graduate Concerto Competition.

If you are interested in being involved in the program, or have any questions please contact Paul Newland at paul.newland@stonybrook.edu.