Concert also features Antonio Villanueva, the Young Artist Competition Winner

News Release

Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Kirk Gustafson, Music Director

225 N. Fifth St., Ste 120

Grand Junction, CO 81501

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                         

December 15, 2010—Grand Junction, Colo. – The Grand Junction Symphony (GJSO) will perform Beethoven, Brahms & Brass on Tuesday,  January 25, 2011 at 7:30pm at GJHS Auditorium.  A Classical Conversation will begin in the Concert Hall at 6:30pm. Brahms’ expressive Symphony No. 3 will be performed, along with music from Beethoven.

The concert will also feature, Antonio Villanueva, the winner of the GJSO’s Young Artist Competition from 2010. Villanueva is currently a senior working on his Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet solo performance at Arizona State University.  He began his musical studies at the age of 9 in Monterrey, Mexico and made his first solo appearance at the age of 12 with the Youth Orchestra Nuevo Leon.  He has been the principal trumpet at the World Youth Symphonic Band at Interlochen, the Summer Music Institute hosted by the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, and the Youth Orchestra of Mexico.

Villanueva is the 18^th Young Artist Competition Winner in the history of the GJSO.  The competition is designed to encourage young artists under the age of 25 in concerto performance.  The winner and runner up both receive cash prizes, with the winner receiving a guest artist spot with the Grand Junction Symphony.  The Young Artist Competition is underwritten by the Grand Junction Symphony Guild.

Villanueva will play the challenging Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto.  The concert will also feature music from two of history’s most prolific composers, Beethoven’s Consecration of the House Overture and Brahms’ Symphony No. 3.

“All the Brahms symphonies are terrific, but the 3^rd is a personal favorite. I really look forward to this concert,” said Maestro Gustafson.

This concert was generously underwritten by Alpine Bank and the Grand Junction Symphony Guild. Tickets are on sale at www.gjsymphony.org or 243-6787.  Ticket prices start at $15 for adults and $5 for students.

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Concert also features Antonio Villanueva, the Young Artist Competition Winner

News Release

Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Kirk Gustafson, Music Director

225 N. Fifth St., Ste 120

Grand Junction, CO 81501

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    
                     

December 15, 2010—Grand Junction, Colo. – The Grand Junction Symphony (GJSO) will perform Beethoven, Brahms & Brass on Tuesday,  January 25, 2011 at 7:30pm at GJHS Auditorium.  A Classical Conversation will begin in the Concert Hall at 6:30pm. Brahms’ expressive Symphony No. 3 will be performed, along with music from Beethoven.

The concert will also feature, Antonio Villanueva, the winner of the GJSO’s Young Artist Competition from 2010. Villanueva is currently a senior working on his Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet solo performance at Arizona State University.  He began his musical studies at the age of 9 in Monterrey, Mexico and made his first solo appearance at the age of 12 with the Youth Orchestra Nuevo Leon.  He has been the principal trumpet at the World Youth Symphonic Band at Interlochen, the Summer Music Institute hosted by the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, and the Youth Orchestra of Mexico.

Villanueva is the 18^th Young Artist Competition Winner in the history of the GJSO.  The competition is designed to encourage young artists under the age of 25 in concerto performance.  The winner and runner up both receive cash prizes, with the winner receiving a guest artist spot with the Grand Junction Symphony.  The Young Artist Competition is underwritten by the Grand Junction Symphony Guild.

Villanueva will play the challenging Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto.  The concert will also feature music from two of history’s most prolific composers, Beethoven’s Consecration of the House Overture and Brahms’ Symphony No. 3.

“All the Brahms symphonies are terrific, but the 3^rd is a personal favorite. I really look forward to this concert,” said Maestro Gustafson.

This concert was generously underwritten by Alpine Bank and the Grand Junction Symphony Guild. Tickets are on sale at www.gjsymphony.org or 243-6787.  Ticket prices start at $15 for adults and $5 for students.

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Help us make the Avalon our home!

The Grand Junction Symphony is one step closer towards finding a new permanent home. As many of you know, The GJSO has been working very closely with the City of Grand Junction and the Downtown Development Authority to develop plans to completely renovate the Avalon Theatre to make it into one of the best performing arts theatres in the region. We have carefully looked at all options that are available to us, and looked at what is a suitable facility for this community. The GJSO is confident that once the three phases of renovations are completed with the Avalon Theatre the facility will not only meet all of the concerns of the GJSO and our Patrons, but also many other groups in the Grand Valley.

You are Invited to join us

Grand Junction City Council Meeting

Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra Avalon Renovation Presentation

Monday, November 15, 2010, regular meeting

7:00 PM in the City Hall Auditorium located at 250 N 5^th St –

across from the Symphony Offices in the Alpine Bank Building

The Council will be voting on whether to move ahead with these renovations and to negotiate a long term lease agreement with the GJSO to make us the primary tenant of the Avalon Theatre.

If you cannot make it, we invite you to send a noted to the City Council Members asking for their support of this project.

Here are a few helpful details as you write or discuss the Avalon project with City Council Members:

• The renovations meet not only the needs of the Symphony, but will make the Avalon a fully functioning theatre for the entire community.

• The plan was designed to cover the needs of as many potential users as possible, and the needs for the performance space will be met following the first phase of renovations.

• These renovations will double the usage of the theatre each year, creating a significant economic impact to downtown Grand Junction and surrounding areas. The estimate is that 70,000-75,000 patrons will use the Avalon Theatre each year, with a potential for close to an additional $1 Million in spending by these patrons outside of the Avalon each year.

The Proposed Master Plan for the Avalon Theatre

 Total costs, including fundraising expenses, ancillary costs and construction costs will be $14.5 Million. The plan for each of the three phases, including construction costs, is as follows:

Phase I. ($7.5 million) - A complete renovation of the audience chamber

• Expansion of the stage, meets staging needs of both music and theatrical groups
• Variable acoustical treatments to allow both unamplified and amplified performances
• All new seats, including meeting disability requirements and fixing sight lines

Phase II. ($4.5 million) - Enhanced patron amenities

• Major expansion of the lobby (an expansion to the east of the current Avalon)
• A fully functioning box office
• Enhanced and upgraded restrooms; creates bathrooms on all floors

Phase III. ($1.5 million) - Backstage amenities for guest artists and performing groups

• Completion of dressing rooms and greenrooms
• Completion of a multi-purpose room for film and other small events

News Release

Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Kirk Gustafson, Music Director

225 N. Fifth St., Ste 120

Grand Junction, CO 81501

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         

October 11, 2010—Grand Junction, Colo. – The Grand Junction Symphony continues its 33^rd Season with Meditations & the New World on Tuesday, November 2 at 7:30pm in the Grand Junction High School Auditorium.  Cellist Elinor Frey will perform Bernstein’s Mass: Three Meditations with the Symphony.  A Classical Conversation will begin in the concert hall at 6:30pm.

Frey will be spending a week prior to the concert in Grand Junction at Mesa County schools working hands- on with Mesa County students as an artist- in-residence.  As an artist in-residence, Frey will spend time conducting master-classes where students will perform with her and for her, performing short recitals that demonstrate the beauty of the cello and discussing her life as an international musician.

Frey’s artist-in-residence schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, October 27, 2010: Grand Junction High School ; 7:25am

Wednesday, October 27, 2010: Central High School ; 8:20am

Thursday, October 28, 2010: Palisade High School ; 7:25am

Friday, October 29, 2010: Fruita Monument High School ; 7:25am

Hailed as an "Impeccable cellist" by Montreal's La Presse, "A superb cellist" by the Syracuse Post-Standard, and an "unquestionable and robust talent" by the Giornale di Brescia, Elinor Frey's recent accolades include the 2009/10 Fulbright Grant to Italy, as well as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarship, and a Canada Council for the Arts grant facilitating her work on Italian baroque and modern unaccompanied cello music

Frey is currently a Doctor of Music candidate at McGill University, where she is also a course instructor. Elinor studies baroque cello with Paolo Beschi in Como, Italy, and in Montreal with Susie Napper, as well as modern cello with Matt Haimovtiz. She received a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School and a B.M. from the Mannes College of Music.

The concert on November 2^nd will feature blue cathedral from the Grammy-award winning American composer, Jennifer Higdon. Frey will join the symphony and perform music from legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, Mass: Three Meditations.  The epic New World Symphony from Dvorak will conclude the evening.

“Last season, one of the most contemporary pieces of the year was extremely well received by the audience.  This was a percussion concerto by Jennifer Higdon.  We are excited to present her most popular composition – blue cathedral.  Add a Leonard Bernstein piece, and Dvorak’s very popular New World Symphony and you have a concert not to miss!”

 This concert is generously underwritten by Karen Combs.  Tickets are on sale at www.gjsymphony.org, at 243-6787 or at the GJSO office, 225 North 5^th Street, Suite 120.  Tickets are $15, $20 and $25 and $5 for students

News Release

Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra

Kirk Gustafson, Music Director

225 N. Fifth St., Ste 120

Grand Junction, CO 81501

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         

August 23, 2010—Grand Junction, Colo. – The Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra opens its 33^rd Season on Tuesday, September 21^st at 7:30pm in the Grand Junction High School Auditorium. A Classical Conversation begins at 6:30pm in the concert hall.

Internationally renowned Croatian pianist, Martina Filjak, will join the GJSO as guest artist, performing the beloved Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninoff. Filjak is garnering international praise for her poetic passion, galvanizing strength at the keyboard, charismatic personality and magnetic stage presence. Filjak was the first place winner at the 2009 Cleveland International Piano Competition. The prestigious competition is held bi-annually and attracts talented pianists from the international arena.

Filjak debuted in Carnegie Hall in December of 2009 to excellent reviews. The New York Times declared her “a pianist to watch.” She made her orchestra debut at the age of 12 with Croatia’s renowned Zagreb Soloists Chamber Orchestra. She is a graduate of the Music Academy of Zagreb and the Vienna Conservatory. Additionally, she has attended the prestigious Como Piano Academy at Lake Como in Italy. Ms. Filjak speaks seven languages and is both a Croatian and Italian national.

The concert will also feature classical favorites Bolero by Ravel and Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky.

“The opening concert for this 33^rd season subscription series is a blockbuster! Ravel’s popular Bolero and his orchestration of Mussorgsky’s famous Pictures at an Exhibition, are paired with Rachmaninoff’s dazzling Paganini Variations with soloist Martina Filjak. It is certainly an evening not to be missed!”

Tickets are on sale for $15, $20 and $25 and $5 for students (with ID) by calling 243-6787 or visiting www.gjsymphony.org. The concert is underwritten by Jess and Helaine Cohen.

Symphony won a redesign prize through HotPress Web

The Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra proudly debuts their newly redesigned website. The GJSO was the winner of the 2nd Annual HotPress Website Giveaway in 2009, in which a Colorado-based non-profit received a Website and hosting services valued at $10,000.

To participate in the HotPress Website Giveaway, individuals had to fill out an online nomination form describing how the free Website would help the non-profit further its mission. HotPress Web staff selected five semi-finalists and shared each organization's story on the Giveaway web page. The Symphony and the other four semi-finalists were then featured on the HotPress website for a public voting contest.

The GJSO’s new website will increase ease of navigation and offer more interactive features like video, online applications for educational programs and concert promotion.

Visit the website between July 1 and July 15 and find the location where you can send an email to GJSO Marketing Director, Jennifer Schultz to enter for a chance to win 2 tickets to the GJSO’s Season Opening Concert, Pictures & Paganini on September 21, 2010