Orchestra to present “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue”
For 30 years, Kermit Poling has stood at the helm as the musical director/conductor of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
As the orchestra continues its 2023 - 2024 season, Poling will keep up his three decades of service when he takes the stage with SASO for its next scheduled performance: Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue.
The show is set for 7 p.m. on Feb. 24 in the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium, 100 W. Eighth.
The Peter Boyer-commissioned Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue commemorates the centennial of George Gershwin’s classic Rhapsody in Blue.
In 2021, Boyer — a composer, conductor and music professor — and Grammy Award-winning pianist Jeffrey Biegel announced plans for the Rhapsody project, with Boyer as the composer and Biegel as the piano soloist.
Biegel subsequently launched the “Rhapsody National Initiative” campaign, with a goal of performing the concert in all 50 states across America.
SASO was selected to represent the state of Arkansas to perform Gershwin’s musical masterpiece for the official 100th anniversary tour.
Poling and Sara Coffman, SASO executive director, welcomed the opportunity with open arms, Coffman said.
“Many orchestras around Arkansas wanted this and El Dorado gets to perform it!” said Coffman, adding that Poling “has a long, outstanding history of bringing high caliber artists to our community.”
Biegel will join SASO for the performance of Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue.
Other performances on SASO’s 2023 - 2024 schedule include:
• An Enchanted Evening, 7 p.m., March 16, El Dorado Municipal Auditorium.
El Dorado native and renowned tenor Randal Rushing and award-winning pianist Parker Van Ostrand will accompany SASO in a presentation of An Enchanted Evening.
Rushing has performed internationally for more than five decades. He is an Emeritus Professor of Voice at the University of Memphis.
While in his late teens, Van Ostrand won a gold medal in the Wideman International Piano Competition, taking home hardware in the 71st competition in 2022.
He also won the 2023 Piano Texas Academy Concerto Competition
• Hansel and Gretel, an opera by Engelbert Humperdinck, 7 p.m., April 27, El Dorado Municipal Auditorium.
SASO will partner with the South Arkansas Arts Center to present the famed children’s story of two siblings who lose their way through the forest and happen upon a witch in her gingerbread house.
Local singers will accompany other distinguished artists to form a fully illustrious ensemble for the performance, which will include the SAAC youth choir under the direction of Charlsie Langley.
Students were invited to sign up for the spring Youth Choir Class as a part of SAAC’s Arts Academy
With the collaboration with SASO, the students will have the opportunity to perform alongside world-class professional musicians and special guests, according to a press release from SASO.
• Symphony on the Square, May 25, Downtown El Dorado.
The annual concert is presented during Memorial Day weekend. The concert is free and open to the public.
For more information or to purchase tickets for SASO’s ticketed events, call 870-3102244, visit www.southarkansassymphony.com or send an email to info@southarkansassymphony.