Symphony NH, which performed its first concert on April 29, 1923, celebrated its anniversary with a performance exactly to the day one hundred years later, April 29, 2023. The two years of planning leading up to this anniversary event included working through pandemic obstacles. The result was an outstanding concert, played to a full house.
The venue was the lovely new Nashua Center for the Arts. As regular concertgoers from Newbury, Massachusetts said to me, “Nashua has convenient parking, none of the highway congestion of getting into or out of Boston, and an outstanding symphonic orchestra. Easy decision.”
SYMPHONY NEW HAMPSHIRE CENTENNIAL DAY
Honoring the new venue and the long history, SNH Executive Director Deanna Hoying added a couple of nice surprises to the welcoming thank you’s. First was a proclamation from the State of New Hampshire, signed by Governor Christopher Sununu, marking April 29, 2023 as SYMPHONY NH CENTENNIAL DAY.
This proclamation was followed by “Symphony No. 100,” a poem written and read aloud to the audience by NH State Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary.
THE CONCERT
The concert opened with Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104. It featured renowned cellist Amit Peled who, in another nod to history, had performed with Symphony NH back in 2001. This powerfully performed piece delighted everyone and received a heartfelt standing ovation.
The concert included two pieces that were performed at the historic first concert of April 29, 1923. They were the Allegro Moderato movement from Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony No. 8 in B minor and Johann Strauss Jr.’s On the Beautiful Blue Danube.
Before a spirited finale of Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5, Conductor and Music Director Roger Kalia briefly talked about Brahms love of Strauss’ waltzes and the connection that existed between the two composers. Kalia also looked about the full house and said, “this is just amazing.” Indeed it was. The new performance space, the full house, the renewed energy and an expanded mission to bring live concerts to every county in the State of New Hampshire, brought a standing ovation closure to the concert.
You know Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5…
Click the photo below to hear an excerpt
POST CONCERT GALA
The post-concert Centennial Anniversary Gala extended the celebration. The theme of honoring the past and building momentum for the future was woven into the presentations and events throughout the evening.
Three awards were presented at the gala:
The (first ever) Steward Award to Robert (Bob) Oot
The Musician Service Award to Elliott Markow
The Spirit Award to Geri Boisvert and Ann Conway
FUNDING THE FUTURE
Concertmaster, Elliot Markow gave an impassioned lead-in to that evening’s fundraise finale to support the many things SNH does to make music accessible, make performances affordable, and to insure opportunities for the next generation of musicians.
Congratulations to the leadership and volunteers on an incredibly wonderful kickoff to the 100th anniversary season. The work and preparation that went into this day was clearly visible in how smoothly the whole event rolled out.
MANCHESTER INK LINK IS A 100TH Anniversary Collaborative Partner of Symphony New Hampshire
ABOUT SYMPHONY NH
Symphony NH is committed to its community beyond its popular concert series. Through its Community Partnership program, the organization offers music education programs that introduce students to instruments and live performances as well as helping to enrich existing music programs across Southern New Hampshire. Having served Nashua students for years, in 2016 the orchestra’s educational scope expanded to Manchester, Concord and the Upper Valley. That same year Symphony NH also began community concerts in Nashua and Concord. In 2018 Adopt-a-School was introduced in Nashua and Carnegie Hall’s Link Up program was added in 2019. Their new tagline: “The symphonic sound of the Granite State” helps remind everyone of their past as they move forward.
ABOUT SYMPHONY NH EDUCATION PROGRAMS
LINK UP – Symphony NH and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute partner to present Link Up in the Nashua Public Schools, teaching students to play recorder throughout the year in the classroom. This national Link Up program, supplies music instruction resources free of charge to local elementary school students in grade 3.
ADOPT-A-SCHOOL – Symphony NH is committed to providing music education programs that introduce students to instruments and live performances as well as helping to enrich existing music programs across the state of New Hampshire. Adopt-A-School SNH gives back to the community by coaching the next generation of great musicians.
