Valparaiso Events invited the community to the 20th anniversary concert featuring the South Shore Orchestra on Thursday, June 13.
Katie Abel, Executive Director of Valparaiso Events, appreciated the impact this annual event had on all of the attendees.
“It’s always a great performance,” Abel said. “This is an opportunity for a lot of talented musicians in the area to come together to put together a magical show.”
Having the South Shore Orchestra represent this event for the 20th anniversary was on the wish list for a long time for Abel and the Valparaiso Events team.
“Growing up playing the cello for 12 years, orchestral symphonies have always had a special place in my heart,” Abel said. “When I connected with the South Shore Orchestra last year to discuss a partnership, I was very eager to make this happen. Their purpose is to bring enjoyment and appreciation of orchestral music to the community. They've been able to accomplish that through hosting various concerts in and around Valparaiso. They expose a lot of people to a type of music they might not have sought out before, which is important in spreading the love of the arts."
Pete Brannen, President of the South Shore Orchestra, was equally as excited about this performance. In a short amount of time, the orchestra was able to come together and put on a show that recognized different cultures.
“The orchestra in just two rehearsals was able to put together an incredible program,” Brannen said. “The Tchaikovsky Symphony is about an hour long and very challenging. We have a fantastic opening piece by a Mexican composer as well as a concertino by Greek composer George Kontogiorgos, who was able to make it here for this performance from Athens. It's a wonderful piece that’s also very lyrical.”
Not only does this performance stand out as a special celebration for the 20th anniversary, but also as a credit to everyone working with their group before bringing the full ensemble together.
“Everybody came in well prepared,” Brannen said. “They knew the music and worked out details that our music director wanted to emphasize. Normally we have four to five rehearsals for each concert. We had all of our rehearsals earlier this week which is why it’s been miraculous how quickly everything came together.”
Brannen notes how the South Shore Orchestra has done performances all across the globe, including six concert tours in China. However, the Valparaiso community has always given them overwhelming support every time they perform in the Region.
“We’ve integrated into the community and people have become more familiar with us,” Brannen said. “More people have started supporting us throughout Porter County. We’re thankful for organizations like the Porter County Community Foundation and the Indiana Arts Commission that help us raise money for the group to afford to put on these concerts as much as we do.”
Despite relocating the event due to the rain, Valparaiso Events was extremely pleased with the amount of people who came to support the South Shore Orchestra for this event.
“It was a pleasant surprise to see so many people turn out for the event,” Abel said. “I think that just shows the dedication that our community has to the arts. Even when the weather isn’t on our side, people still want to come out and support the orchestra."
For more information on Valparaiso Events, you can visit their website.