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U.S. Navy Concert Band to Perform Free Show in Springfield on March 1

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The U.S. Navy Concert Band is bringing its Northeast Tour to Springfield Symphony Hall on Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m.

The free concert, presented by Spirit of Springfield and sponsored by Yellowstone Landscape, is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. with a family-friendly concert. It features a broad selection of musical works, from American classics to contemporary pieces. Selections include works from John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March,” The Wizard of Oz’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Aaron Copland’s “Buckaroo Holiday,” John Williams’s “Liberty Fanfare,” “America the Beautiful,” “Armed Forces on Parade,” and much more.

“Touring the nation and performing concerts means connecting with communities and telling the great stories of our sailors working around the globe to keep us safe and free,” said Capt. Robert “Seph” Coats, commanding officer of the U.S. Navy Band.

The U.S. Navy Band consists of 50 musicians and vocalists, plus a production team. Almost all of the sailors in the band have undergraduate degrees in music, and most have graduate degrees. Their last Springfield concert was in 2016.

“It is an honor to host the U.S. Navy’s premier band in Springfield Symphony Hall,” Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt said. “The performers love the acoustics, historic architecture, and the enthusiastic audience.”

Tickets are available at Pride Stores, the Springfield Visitor Center at 1319 Main St., and the security desk at One Financial Plaza at 1350 Main St. in Springfield. They can also be obtained by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope to Spirit of Springfield at 1350 Main St., Suite 1004, Springfield, MA 01103. Those without tickets can still attend; they will be seated 10 minutes before the start of the performance.

Free parking for the concert will be available in the I-91 South Garage courtesy of the Springfield Parking Authority.

SSO Slates ‘Planet Earth: A Symphonic Journey’

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD —The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will present ‘Planet Earth: A Symphonic Journey,’ a family-friendly matinée on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. 

The afternoon performance will feature a Planet Earth film over the orchestra, and pre-concert activities for all ages hosted by the Springfield Museums, the SSO’s community partner for this concert. 

The concert will have the Springfield Symphony Orchestra performing  both U.S. and world premieres of compositions by renowned guest conductor and composer Johan de Meij. Tickets for ‘Planet Earth’ are now on sale, starting at $25, online at SpringfieldSymphony.org, or by calling the SSO Box Office at (413) 733-2291. 

The 3 p.m. concert is envisioned to be a family-friendly Valentine’s Day experience, with a multimedia performance and pre-concert activities for adults and children alike.

“This concert is about opening the doors wider at Symphony Hall and reimagining what a symphony experience can be for families today,” said Heather Caisse-Roberts, president & CEO of the SSO. “From Holst’s Jupiter to Johan de Meij’s Planet Earth and the world premiere of his T-Bone Concerto, this program blends big orchestral sound with film, storytelling, and a sense of discovery. 

“Our partnership with the Springfield Museums adds hands-on fun before the music even begins, giving families a chance to explore, ask questions, and connect science and art in real time,” she went on. “It’s immersive, it’s accessible, and yes, you’ll still be out in time for Valentine’s Day dinner.”

De Meij’s Symphony No. 3 Planet Earth is an ode to Mother Earth, performed for the first time in the U.S. on the Springfield Symphony Hall stage. The film, created by de Meij’s wife, Dyan Machan, and directed by Jed Parker, will accompany the music on a big screen over the orchestra, making for a multi-dimensional experience for concertgoers. Also of note is the world premiere of de Meij’s T-Bone Concerto, consisting of three movements: Rare, Medium and Well Done. This piece will be highlighted by legendary trombonist Joseph Alessi, principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic, performing with the orchestra. The concert will also feature Gustav Holst’s famous Jupiter.

Concertgoers of all ages are encouraged to arrive early to take part in activities hosted by various science clubs affiliated with the Springfield Museums. Featured clubs will include the STARS Club, the Connecticut Valley Mineral Club and Naturalists Club, among others, and the Springfield Museums will also have a table with activities and information.

Dutch composer and conductor Johan de Meij (photo attached) has garnered international acclaim for his compositions. He has written five symphonies including Symphony No. 2 The Big Apple andSymphony No. 3 Planet Earth, and 10 solo concertos, including T-Bone Concerto (trombone) and Casanova (cello). His Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings was awarded the Sudler Composition Prize in Chicago and has been recorded by myriad ensembles including The London Symphony Orchestra and The North Netherlands Orchestra. 

De Meij has conducted in prestigious venues and has received 31 awards and nominations, including 1st Prize at the International Composition Competition of Corciano, Italy for Casanova, the Dutch Wind Music Award, the Buma Classical Award and the Buma Wind Music Award. De Meij received his musical training at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague. 

Before devoting his time exclusively to composing and conducting, de Meij enjoyed a successful professional career as a trombone and euphonium player, performing with the major orchestras and ensembles in The Netherlands. 

Trombonist Joseph Alessi was appointed principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic in the spring of 1985. He is an active soloist, recitalist, and chamber music performer and has also participated in numerous festivals. In 2002, Alessi was awarded an International Trombone Association Award for his contributions to the world of trombone music and trombone playing, and in 2014, was elected president of that association.

Alessi is currently on the faculty of The Juilliard School; his students now occupy posts with many major symphony orchestras in the U.S. and internationally. 

MassMutual and Mass. Cultural Council are Season Sponsors for the 2025-26 season. For more information and to purchase tickets for the 2025-26 season’s concerts, visit springfieldsymphony.org.

SSO Season Finale, “Variation & Virtuosity,” Set for May 3

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will host “Variation & Virtuosity,” its Season Finale performance, on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall.

The concert will feature guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger and Pianist Natasha Paremski and a program that spans Brazil, Russia, and closes with Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 7, bookending the SSO’s season opener that featured his Symphony No. 5.

Tickets are available, starting at $25, at SpringfieldSymphony.org, or by calling the SSO box office at (413) 733-2291.

The concert will feature pieces in variation structures. Conductor Lehninger’s Brazilian roots are reflected in the opening piece, Temporal Variations (Beethoven Revisited) composed by Ronaldo Miranda. Next will be what is known as one of the greatest of the variation structures and one of the great compositions of the classical music literature, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, performed by Paremski on piano. 

To close the season, the orchestra will perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. This is a dynamic symphony that Beethoven considers one of his best compositions, and bookends the SSO’s season opener, when the Orchestra performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.

“We conclude our season with what will be a stirring concert led by conductor Marcelo Lehinger with prior experience with the Boston Symphony Orchestra,” said Paul Lambert, president and CEO of the SSO. “He will be joined on stage by our own fabulous musicians and pianist Natasha Paremski who has performed around the world. It is not an exaggeration to say the season we billed as a ‘Tapestry of Music’ was among the most diverse for the SSO and we will leave our regular season on a high note.” 

MOSSO to Present Live Concert on March 26

By
Daily News

 

 

SPRINGFIELD — The Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, known as MOSSO, return to Springfield Symphony Hall with a live performance, MOSSO’S VIRTUOSOS, on March 26, their first performance in Symphony Hall, since October, 2021.

Although all of the musicians are members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, MOSSO is not affiliated with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Inc. Proceeds from this concert will be used by MOSSO to produce additional concerts, including the ongoing chamber music series at The Westfield Athenaeum, and an additional concert celebrating the music of Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, at Symphony Hall in June. 

 

MOSSO’S VIRTUOSOS showcases the members of the MOSSO family, and all of the soloists for the program are principal players of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Trumpeter Thomas Bergeron and Timpanist Martin Kluger will share the conducting duties. The program comprises: Faure’s Fantaisie for Flute and Orchestra with Ann Bobo; the first movement of Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto with Thomas Bergeron; Concerto for Alto Trombone by Leopold Mozart with Brian Diehl; two movements from Ney Rosauro’s Concerto No. 1 for Marimba with Nathan Lassell; the first movement of Mozart’s Haffner Symphony; and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite, itself a showcase of soloists within the MOSSO chamber orchestra. The evening will be introduced by Patrick Berry, co-host of Mass Appeal on 22 News.

 

“The Springfield Symphony Orchestra Inc. hasn’t produced nor programmed any concerts in Symphony Hall since March, 2020,” said Beth Welty, violinist and MOSSO chair. “The musicians formed MOSSO as a non-profit organization to produce live music to provide employment opportunities for its 70 musicians. When the National Labor Relations Board settlement awarded the musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra $276,000 in January, MOSSO members decided to use that money to produce concerts in Western Massachusetts. Our MOSSO family is investing in the cultural life of our communities.”

Welty added that the Rosauro piece will be dedicated in memory of Springfield Symphony Orchestra percussionist Warren Myers and his late wife, Marlene, who had been part of the SSO family for decades.

 

MOSSO expressed its thanks to Mayor Domenic Sarno, Amanda Spear-Purchase and the staff of Springfield Symphony Hall, Music for Life International, supporting social impact through music, Gerry’s Music Shop,), BusinessWest and Healthcare News, The Republican/MassLive, WWLP-22News & The CW Springfield, Lynn Klock, and other donors. 

 

Tickets for the March 26 performance, general admission, are $20. Producers Circle general admission in the center orchestra and center grand tier sections are $30. Tickets must be purchased in advance. There will be no door sales. Masks will be required inside Symphony Hall. For details and reservations, visit:  www.SpringfieldSymphonyMusicians.com.  

 

Donations can be made online through the MOSSO website: SpringfieldSymphonyMusicians.com or checks can be made out to MOSSO and sent to MOSSO, PO Box 3513, Amherst, MA 01004. All donations made to MOSSO will be used to produce live musical events for the Springfield community.