Harmonica gala opens 35th season of symphony

The Carson City Symphony, directed by David Bugli, will open its 35th season at 4 p.m. Oct. 21 with a Harmonica Gala concert at the Carson City Community Center’s Bob Boldrick Theater, 851 E. William St. The concert will feature guest harmonica soloists Jiayi He and Tom Stryker.

Tickets are $15 general admission; $12 for seniors, students, and Symphony Association members; and free for youth ages 18 and under.

Tickets are on sale at the Nevada Day Office, 716 N. Carson St., online at CCSymphony.com, or at the door.

Season tickets at discounted prices are available from the Symphony at 775-883-4154.

The program includes music by Verdi, Smetana, Arthur Benjamin, John Barnes Chance, and others. Pre-show entertainment by the Aria 51 trio will begin at 3 p.m. in the lobby, a meet-the-soloists concert preview will begin at 3:15 p.m. in the Sierra Room, and a dinner reception will follow the concert. The preview, hosted by conductor David Bugli, will include discussions with the soloists about the concert, composers, and music. For reception information and reservations, call the Symphony at 775-883-4154 by Oct. 17.

Originally from China and now residing in New York, Jiayi He has received numerous awards in international competitions, and has soloed with orchestras in the U.S. and China, and recorded for movies, radio stations, and CDs. Tom Stryker has performed throughout the world with harmonica ensembles, orchestras, and jazz bands, and is past president of SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica.

The concert is part of Daniel Pearl World Music Days, an annual global event affirming the ideals of tolerance, friendship, and shared humanity, inspired by the life and work of journalist and musician Daniel Pearl. It also celebrates National Arts and Humanities Month, a coast-to-coast collective celebration of culture in America.

Carson City Symphony is a community orchestra of about 60 players who perform music from the 15th to the 21st centuries. The 2018-19 concert season is supported with public funding through the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For information, see CCSymphony.com, or call 775-883-4154.