SEISO PRESENTS THEIR MASTERWORKS SERIES CONCERT
NO. 2: OLD TO NEW
The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra (SEISO) presents their Old to New concerts March 19
at 7:30 PM at Ottumwa’s Bridge View Center and March 20th at 2:00 PM at Burlington’s Capitol
Theater and 6:30 PM at Iowa Wesleyan’s Chapel Auditorium in Mt. Pleasant. This concert set
continues to focus on some relatively unknown masterpieces along with one of the most popular
orchestral works ever written, Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis.
World renowned guest artist, Velvet Brown is spending the week in Southeast Iowa where she
will visit schools, present a free public masterclass at 6:30 on Tuesday evening at the Iowa
Wesleyan University Chapel and then solo with the orchestra on the Barbara York Concerto for
Tuba subtitled “Wars and Rumors of War”. Barbara York was a well-known low brass
composer at Pittsburg State in Kansas. She began composing at age 5 and only passed away in
late 2020. “I think people will be amazed at how much appeal they find in this unique and
invigorating concerto”, said SEISO Music Director Robert McConnell.
The first half of the program features the classical Symphony No. 2 by a leading Paris
Conservatory teacher of the 19th century, Louise Farrenc. This work was nearly lost but in
recent years has begun to gain wide acceptance. “This symphony is extremely energetic and
again, I think people will be surprised that it was almost lost simply because music by female
composers was not highly valued in her times,” according to McConnell.
“I hope people will have the chance to listen to Velvet both in their communities and soloing with
the orchestra. This will be a unique opportunity to hear a gifted tuba performer on an extremely
varied program. I look forward to seeing folks there.”
Tickets to the Masterworks Series concerts in Burlington, Ottumwa and Mt. Pleasant may be
purchased at the door or on our website www.seiso.us. Adult tickets are $20. Children/student
tickets (aged 0-22) are free. There is no reserved seating.
Make the most of your concert experience by attending the ‘Prelude.’ Music Director Robert
McConnell will be on hand 45 minutes before each performance to talk about the programmed
music in depth. ‘Prelude’ is supported through a grant from the Charles W. Rand Memorial
Lecture Fund in Burlington and is offered free of charge to all audience members.
If you have questions, please contact the SEISO Office at seiso@iw.edu. More information is
available on the SEISO web site at www.seiso.us