Press release from the Blue Ridge Orchestra:
WHO: Blue Ridge Orchestra (Asheville) conducted by Milton Crotts; with Jamie Laval, guest soloist
WHAT: BRO Revels! A Symphonic Christmas Holiday Concert
WHEN & WHERE:
• Saturday, December 10, 3:00 pm, Lipinsky Auditorium, 300 Library Lane, UNC Asheville
• Sunday, December 11, 3:00 pm, Folk Art Center, Blue Ridge Parkway MP 382
HOW MUCH? $15 General / $10 Friends of BRO / $5 Students
TICKETS and INFO: (828) 782-3354 www.blueridgeorchestra.org
STORY:
The Blue Ridge Orchestra under the direction of Milton Crotts presents “BRO Revels!”, a unique Winter Holiday-themed concert experience featuring internationally renowned violinist/fiddler Jamie Laval.
The program includes classical favorites (Vivaldi’s Winter from the Four Seasons and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride), Celtic-inspired arrangements of traditional Christmas carols, and original compositions which blend symphonic and folk music idioms.
The program promises to fill listeners with an exuberant feeling of holiday cheer and tickle their imaginations with some innovative surprises.
The uniqueness of this concert is exactly the type of program the Blue Ridge Orchestra is well-known for presenting. “Milt is one of the rare breed of musicians who is fearless about exploring new musical horizons,” says Laval. “It is an unusual privilege to be given a commission to compose original works with complete autonomy, and collaborating with a local Asheville-based community makes the project even sweeter.”
Laval studied classical violin at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, ultimately settling in the Pacific Northwest to perform both as a soloist and section violinist with numerous top symphony orchestras, as well as recording over 200 television and movie sound track recordings.
Eventually his passion for traditional Celtic music usurped his other endeavors. In 2002 his new career was launched after winning the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship. He now performs throughout the U.S. and Scotland, rendering this ancient art form with a contemporary flair that earns zealous admiration from families, youth, seniors, and devotees of ethnic, jazz, and classical music.
BRO Revels!, the brain child of Milton Crotts, showcases Laval’s virtuosity in both classical and folk domains, while giving ample space for the talent within the orchestra to shine. The program aims to provide an accessible foray into classical music.
BRO Revels! is the centerpiece of the Orchestra’s 2016-17 season, which features the participation of student musicians from UNC Asheville. The season continues in March with “A Wedding With Wolfgang,” an old / new / borrowed / blue tribute to Mozart as part of Asheville Amadeus. In April the program features Cantus Terrae, an Earth Day celebration showcasing the transcendent visions of Copland and Beethoven.
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