Tuning Up: Literally (spoiler: it’s about orchestras)
Good morning!
“Tuning Up” is a morning post series where The Hub delivers curated, quick-hit arts stories of interest to readers. Sometimes there will be one story, sometimes there will be several. Get in tune now, and have a masterpiece of a day. And now, in no particular order…
This morning we offer some news and notes from South Carolina orchestras.
ICYMI: Three Mor-ihiko Years. The South Carolina Philharmonic announced a three-year contract extension for Music Director Morihiko Nakahara this week, keeping him in Columbia into (at least) 2022 for a total of (at least) 14 seasons. The Free Times caught up with the well-traveled maestro, who begins his 11th season, and the orchestra’s 55th, Saturday, Sept. 29.
Rock Hill Symphony debuts tomorrow night. Literally. As in, first-ever concert, not just new season. Pianist Marina Lomazov (an SCAC music performance fellowship recipient) is the featured soloist for the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto on Music Director David Rudge‘s premiere program, which also offers works by Berlioz, Rimsky-Korsakov, Smetana, and more. It is sold out (and has been), but check out the first season’s offerings here.
Season’s greetings! Rock Hill joins 10 other professional orchestras in South Carolina. September and October are typically when orchestra season gets going. Here are start dates for others from around the Palmetto State:
- Aiken Symphony Orchestra: Saturday, Sept. 15
- Beaufort Symphony Orchestra: Thursday, Oct. 11
- Charleston Symphony Orchestra: Friday, Sept 21
- Florence Symphony Orchestra: Monday, Oct. 15
- Foothills Philharmonic: Saturday, Sept. 22
- Greenville Symphony Orchestra: Saturday, Sept. 22
- Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra: Sunday, Oct. 21
- Long Bay Symphony: Sunday, Sept. 23
- South Carolina Philharmonic: Saturday, Sept. 29
- Spartanburg Philharmonic: Saturday, Sept. 29
Did you have any idea South Carolina has so many orchestras? This doesn’t even count the college and community orchestras. All 10 listed above will receive operating support (or more) from the S.C. Arts Commission in FY19.