Conductor starts run with symphony
Matthew Kraemer will debut as the Butler County Symphony Orchestra's new conductor and music director at the season-opening concert Saturday.
The music will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Butler Intermediate High School auditorium.
The theme for this 64th season is “Inspirations,” and this concert will focus on “Italia.”
Most programming for the season had to be completed in advance, but this first concert is totally Kraemer's.
“I've selected everything entirely on my own,” he said. “It's all orchestral favorites, all inspired by Italy, either by Italians or by composers who visited Italy and fell in love with it.”
“The Pines of Rome” is one of the incredible pieces of the concert, Kraemer said, involving brass instruments played in the balcony along with the musicians performing on stage, making for a wrap around kind of sound.
The orchestra members and their new leader will get to know one another more this week. “We had our first rehearsal last week and I was there twice last year (as guest conductor) so I've gotten to see some familiar faces,” Kraemer said.
This week they rehearsed three times with an invitation-only reception on Friday.
Future concerts will feature jazz with guitarist Joe Negri, the seasonal favorite Christmas show, and an evening of movie scores.
“The 'Movie Night' concert is really the hardest one to put together because there's really just so much out there,” Kraemer said.
So the “Movie Night” evening will include themes from “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Gone with the Wind” that contributed to making movie scores such a huge industry, Kraemer said.
In all, the 64th season will have six concerts, and subscriptions are available.
In addition to his duties with the Butler County Symphony, Kraemer currently is the associate conductor with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and in this role appears on each of the orchestra's major series, including subscription weeks, pops, family and summer concerts.
As for his future plans here, Kraemer said outreach is one of his passions. “Up here in Buffalo, I do all of our education concerts,” he said.
He said the Butler Symphony's artistic committee will be meeting before the reception Friday to discuss outreach programs here.
<B>WHO: </B>Butler County Symphony Orchestra<B>WHAT:</B> “Italia” concert to open the 64th season<B>WHEN: </B>7:30 p.m. Saturday<B>WHERE:</B> Butler Intermediate High School auditorium, 551 Fairground Hill Road<B>TICKETS:</B> $18 for adults in advance or $20 at the door. Student tickets are $5. Tickets are available at the symphony office, 259 S. Main St.<B>INFO: </B>724-283-1402 or www.butlersymphony.org.
