Symphonic Concert Series begins tonight

The Symphonic Series of Jacobs School of Music’s Summer Music Festival kicks off tonight. In the line up for the series are four world-renowned conductors. The series includes three concerts, one symphony and the USA International Harp Competition Finals.\nThe first three concerts will be performed by the Festival Orchestra, which is made up of music students and Jacobs School of Music staff members, according to the event program.\nStudent musicians also have the opportunity to play side by side with professionals. Tim Huizenga, assistant first French horn, shares a stand with his teacher, Myron Bloom, who is playing principal.\n“It’s cool being his stand partner. He calls me out on stuff I wouldn’t catch on my own,” Huizenga said. \nThe first concert, featuring guest conductor Michael Stern, will be held at 8 p.m. tonight in the Musical Arts Center. The program includes not-commonly performed works by Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff.\nLogan Strawn, fourth chair violist in the Festival Orchestra, said he enjoys the opportunity to work with such accomplished conductors.\n“We have a good and interesting program. I really like the way Stern rehearses the orchestra,” Strawn said. “I always enjoy playing music for people in the community, and we have been working hard to prepare.”\nThe second concert, featuring guest conductor Roberto Abbado, will be at 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 19, in the Musical Arts Center. The third concert, featuring conductor David Robertson, is at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, in the Musical Arts Center.\nThe symphony orchestra performance is at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, in the Musical Arts Center. The symphony orchestra is made up entirely of students. \nCliff Colnot, principal conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary MusicNOW series, will be conducting pieces by Liadov and Tchaikovsky.\nThe USA International Harp Competition Finals are at 7 p.m. July 14, in the Musical Arts Center. The competition is one of the largest and most prestigious music competitions in the world, said Alain Barker, director of marketing and publicity for the Jacobs School of Music.\nLarge turnouts are expected, with each performance planning to have between 900 and 1,200 people in attendance, said Barker. People of all ages come to enjoy the music, he said.\n“Quality is what distinguishes the Symphonic Series,” Barker said. “The four conductors are absolutely top notch, all with international careers. It is not often that you come across a concert of this musical quality for the price.”\nTickets are $15 for general admission and $8 for students for each the first three concerts. The symphony and Harp Competition are free. PDF versions of the programs for each concert and other information are available online at the Jacobs School of Music Web site, http://music.indiana.edu.