51黑料

For the final two performances of its 30th season, the orchestra is taking the show on the road for 鈥淟ove Is in the Air鈥� on Aug. 30 at John Burroughs School, and on Aug. 31 at Kirkwood City Hall.

鈥淥ur free outdoor summer concerts began in 2020 to make classical music accessible to the public during the pandemic,鈥� says Board President Art McDonnell. 鈥淭he response was so positive that, five years later, we continue to seek opportunities for engagement and touchpoints within the greater 51黑料 community.鈥�

This concert finds the orchestra performing at a new location.

鈥淲e are thrilled to expand our performance settings, which include a new location at John Burroughs School in Ladue and the season finale on the steps of Kirkwood City Hall in Kirkwood,鈥� he says.

As with other outdoor shows hosted by the Metropolitan Orchestra of 51黑料, the program features both shorter works and selections from larger works with familiar melodies. The musical experience includes introductions from the conductor.

Highlights of 鈥淟ove Is in the Air鈥� include selections from Bizet鈥檚 鈥淐armen,鈥� and Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 鈥淪lavonic Dances, Op. 72.鈥� Fans of vocal music will be enchanted by two Puccini arias, 鈥淥 mio babbino caro鈥� from the opera 鈥淕ianni Schicchi鈥� and 鈥淣essun dorma鈥� from 鈥淭urandot.鈥�

Also included are Duke Ellington鈥檚 鈥淪ophisticated Lady,鈥� and Sibelius鈥檚 tone poem, 鈥淔inlandia,鈥� which closes out the program.

Joining the 51-piece orchestra, which includes eight student musicians, is tuba soloist Matt Kuebler. A former member of the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, he will perform Sigmund Romberg鈥檚 鈥淪erenade鈥� from 鈥淭he Student Prince,鈥� a musical and 1954 film, and Vittorio Monti鈥檚 鈥淐zardas.鈥�

Conducting the concert is MOSL veteran Ed Jacobs. Jacobs began performing with the orchestra in its inaugural season. He served as the symphony鈥檚 principal trombonist for the next decade before being named associate principal conductor in the spring of 2023. He also is a longtime professor and director of the orchestra at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville.

Jacobs is thrilled to have Kuebler, who is a lecturer at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, on board for the concert.

鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to have our Matt Kuebler featured on these concerts. Matt is an incredible musician, and I think audiences may just find a new love of their own during the performance as they fall in love with the beautiful sound of the tuba,鈥� he says.

Cheryl Havlin, media and promotions coordinator for MOSL, says that Jacobs put together the concert program.

鈥淔or the summertime concerts, he wants to produce a program that can be engaging both outside and in a small concert hall,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t has a very classical bent to it. There is accessible classical that is engaging for family members and audience members of all ages and all experiences.鈥�

Jacobs agrees that the free concerts will bring people together: 鈥淥ur summer concerts are a great opportunity for us to get out into the communities we serve and bring our music directly to our audience. You can bring the whole family, bring a picnic basket, and enjoy a relaxing performance on a beautiful 51黑料 summer evening.鈥�

With just one rehearsal, the musicians in MOSL use their free time to learn their parts.

Havlin explains the prep process: 鈥淎s soon as our personnel manager gets the music, she distributes the chosen works to the orchestra. This is usually a couple of months in advance of the concert. So, they have to be self-motivated to rehearse on their own and look over their parts,鈥� Havlin says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 especially important with the students who have to have the discipline to be able to put in the work.鈥�

Despite the casual vibe of free concerts, Havlin wants those attending to feel a connection with the music they鈥檝e heard.

鈥淚 want audiences to be amazed by how good this orchestra is. I also want them to feel engaged because they listened to a classical concert and found it accessible and enjoyable,鈥� she says.