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Learn more about our region's arts and culture scene and celebrate their momentous milestones.
Courtesy of Roanoke Symphony Orchestra
Music Director and Conductor David Wiley leads his musicians for Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.
In the midst of the abundant natural wonders in the Roanoke Valley is a thriving arts community with deep roots and a strong cultural impact. Spanning the arts from music to dance, this year marks big milestones for some of Roanoke’s most cherished cultural organizations.
In 1953, Gibson Morrissey and a small group of dedicated musicians founded the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra (RSO). Over the last 65 years, the organization has grown into the largest professional orchestra in Virginia west of Richmond.
Born out of the Roanoke Civic Orchestra that spans back to 1932, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra has been recognized by New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR and NBC’s “Today Show.” Taking the reins as the RSO’s fourth Music Director in 1996, Music Director and Conductor David Wiley has led the organization through incredible artistic growth and expansion during his tenure. Under his leadership, over 50 new professional musicians have been added to the group and the RSO and Wiley received a Distinguished Music Educator Award from Yale University.
Over the years, the symphony has played with artists as diverse as soloist Sir James Galway, soprano Leotyne Price, jazz legends Billy Taylor and Mary McPartland, and headliners like Bernadette Peters, Roberta Flack, Liza Minelli, Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson, Bruce Hornsby, Al Jarreau, Aaron Neville and Michael McDonald. Other milestones include a public performance and private recording of Quincy Jones’ Black Requiem with Ray Charles, the release of multiple CDs and the film score for the movie “Lake Effects” starring Jane Seymour. Highlights of their 65th season include the most highly anticipated holiday show of the season, Holiday Pops; Broadway A to Z: ABBA to Les Mis, a sampling of favorite Broadway hits spanning the decades; Never Break The Chain: The Music of Fleetwood Mac, featuring iconic band’s music; and America the Beautiful, a celebration of our American musical heritage. To view the full RSO season and purchase tickets, visit rso.com/concerts.
Courtesy of Jefferson Center
Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis plays at the Jefferson Center.
The first performance of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra was in 1953 in the Jefferson High School Auditorium, the location of another big milestone. Jefferson High School has been an anchor in downtown Roanoke since it was built in 1922. Nearly a decade after the school closed down, the Jefferson Center Foundation was established to direct the future of the historic building. Out of the foundation, a public-private partnership was formed to raise five million dollars to renovate the building into a non-profit to house organizations involved in the performing arts, education, and social services. And in 1993, the doors to what we now know as the Jefferson Center opened with 21 nonprofits taking up residence in the Fralin Atrium. A few years later, Fitzpatrick Hall opened for events, weddings, receptions, meetings and conferences. And perhaps the most visible piece of the Jefferson Center, the Shaftman Performance Center, opened its doors in 2001.
Over the last two and half decades, the Jefferson Center has helped to stabilize the community and bring world-class performances to the Roanoke Valley. Supporting their mission to provide broad access to transformational arts education opportunities, the center is an educational hub with programs including Music Lab at Jefferson Center, the Jazz Institute and the Song Project, as well as offering private music lessons. Serving as a stage for premier performances from nationally renowned jazz, blues, soul, rock and country performers and theater productions, the Jefferson Center has grown into an arts and culture hub attracting audiences from Roanoke and around the region. Their 25th anniversary calendar includes a variety of diverse events and performances including Mavis Staples, Brian McKnight, Marty Stuart, Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedro Martinez Duo, Banff Mountain Film Festival, The Laramie Project, the Roanoke Children’s Theater, Opera Roanoke, Moscow Ballet and the RSO. To view the full calendar and purchase tickets, visit jeffcenter.org/events/all.
Courtesy of the Berglund Center
“Kinky Boots” performs on Broadway at the Berglund Center.
Another Roanoke entertainment mainstay, Broadway in Roanoke, is also celebrating a big milestone. With over 135 titles, many with more than one performance and over 200,000 tickets sold since its creation, Berglund Center kicks off the Silver Anniversary season of Broadway in Roanoke with “Menopause the Musical” in October.
For over two decades, Broadway in Roanoke has provided Southwest Virginians with the opportunity to see some of the greatest Broadway musicals and dramas to ever tour outside of New York City. Since launching the first Broadway series at Berglund Center (then Roanoke Civic Center) in 1993, producers have brought the best of Broadway to Roanoke.
“We are pleased to present Broadway-caliber productions at Berglund Performing Arts Theatre each year,” says General Manager Robyn Schon. “Seeing a show on Broadway in NYC is a great experience, but not everyone has the luxuries of time and money to travel there. So, we bring those shows to them so that they can enjoy multiple performances of the greatest talent and titles to ever hit the stage.”
Broadway in Roanoke is presented by Berglund Center and JAM Theatricals and is sponsored by the Friendship Foundation. To view this year’s full lineup and purchase tickets, visit BroadwayInRoanoke.com.
Courtesy of Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir
The Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir performs their Christmas concert.
Celebrating 31 years of children making music, the Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir supplements school music classes with in-depth voice study in a specialized choral setting and provides performance experiences in a variety of situations for children from 8-18 years old.
Kimberly Davidson, founding director of the Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir (formerly known as the Roanoke College Children’s Choir), has served as both artistic director and administrative director of the Children’s Choir since 1987. And it’s a labor of love for her.
“I love the music and the challenges, but mostly feel honored to get to know so many dear children and their families as they grown up in the Children’s Choir,” she says of her time fostering young voices. The choir’s mission is to not only teach children great music, musical technique and style, but to also teach about discipline, hard work, team work and the value of a job well done.
Over three decades, the choir has amassed an impressive resume including a joint concert with the United States Army Band, being chosen twice as the Official Choir of the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, selected as a featured solo choir twice at Carnegie Hall, and as featured Performance Choir at the Virginia Music Educators Association Convention. The Children’s Choir also performs regularly with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Opera Roanoke and hosts an Annual Community Holiday Sing-A-Long in December.
The choir has churned out many hard-working and successful choir alumni. Mrs. Kianna Price Marshall, former Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir member, hosts the new WFXR show, “Living Local.” Other alumni have been Disney Princesses, Disney crew leaders and entertainment members, lawyers, administrators and pastors, and several have gone on to success in the theatre and arts business. To view their calendar of events and learn more about the Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir, visit childrenschoir.com/calendar.
Courtesy of Southwest Virginia Ballet
The Southwest Virginia Ballet celebrates 28 years of performances.
And rounding out Roanoke’s big cultural celebrations, the Southwest Virginia Ballet (SVB) marks its 28th season of performances in Roanoke this year. Currently led by Pedro Szalay, the regional ballet company serves over 10,000 children and adults with pre-professional training to young dancers and classical ballet, contemporary and new works performances that promote dance awareness and appreciation. The centerpiece of their annual season is the enchanted holiday staple, “The Nutcracker,” performed at the Berglund Center since 1993. The performance has grown into a Roanoke Valley holiday tradition with as many as 180 SVB Company and community members, both children and adults, sharing the stage. Also on the 2018-2019 calendar is a performance of the classic, “Firebird.” For tickets and to view the full Southwest Virginia Ballet calendar, visit svballet.org/season.
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