Gilbert and Sullivan presents "Festa Italiana" May 9 and the Texarkana Symphony presents "An Italian Evening" Saturday May 8

On Sunday May 9th, a special Mother's Day gift will be presented by The Gilbert and Sullivan Society in Shreveport - Festa Italiana - at St Joseph's Church, Shreveport, LA. Concert begins at 3:00 PM. International guest artists will be conductor Pieralberto Cattaneo and Flutist Mario Carbotta with a Chamber Orchestra of area musicians you won't want to miss.

Saturday May 8th TSO will present "An Italian Evening" at St James Church in Texarkana, TX. Concert at 7:00 PM.

Being that I am a Mom and a Grand Mom, I'm sorry I have to experience these concerts from the orchestra side. But that's OK, too. Someone has to make the music.

President of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, John Goddard and TSO Music Director Marc-Andre Bougie were both at the rehearsal tonight and are looking forward to the performances on Saturday and Sunday.

I would like to thank Maestros Cattaneo and Carbotta for giving me permission to take these wonderful photos of them this week-end.

Conductor - Maestro Pieralberto Cattaneo

Flutist Mario Carbotta

Arriving for rehearsal at St Joseph's

John Goddard and 'Cellist Claudia Sullivan

Bassist Peter Haas

St. Joseph's Church - Shreveport

Performance at St. Joseph - Happy Mother's Day

Michael Kenney, Choirmaster and Organist for St. Joseph

Zemma Smith - arts supporter

'Cellist Alex Djnov and John Goddard

Before the performance

Winds w/o me

Concert attendees

The performance at St. Joseph's church

After the concert

Italian is spoken here

Mario Carbotta meets Sally Horak

Michael Kenney, Mario Carbotta, Pieralberto Cattaneo, Marc-Andre Bougie, Candace Taylor and John Goddard at St. Joseph

As per my May concert calendar post last week, The Texarkana Symphony will present this concert program Saturday night May 8, at St James Church, 7:00 PM.

From the Texarkana Concert

St James Episcopal, Texarkana, TX

rehearsing for An Italian Evening

TSO Board President Remica Gray

Roses in St. James' garden

View from St. James' garden - the Courthouse, Confederate Memorial and the state line

performance night at St. James

Marc and friends

The Audio engineer

waiting for the performance

Contractor Gary Bruns

The performance

Pieralberto Cattaneo and Marc-Andre Bougie

TSO General Manager Andrew Clark with Marc-Andre Bougie and guest artists flutist Mario Carbotta and conductor/composer Pieralberto Cattaneo

Here's to next year!

Festival Encore at FUMC, Shreveport, LA May 2010

First United Methodist Church Choir of Shreveport and the Centenary College Choir present Festival Encore Sunday afternoon May 2 at 4:00 PM with Directors Will Andress and David Hobson.

If you missed this awe inspiring program, you might wish for an encore of the "encore".

My personal favorite was 'Come thou Fount of Every Blessing" sung by the Centenary College Choir and arranged by Mack Wilberg, who arranges music for the Morman Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra.

Photos from Saturday rehearsal and Sunday performance by sjwR

David Hobson and Will Andress

Margaret Williams Jones

E. Ray Peebles, organist

May 2010 Orchestra Concerts

May 1 - Longview Symphony Orchestra season finale - Pipes and Strings. Soloist Mary Preston plays Poulenc Concerto in Gm for Organ, String Orchestra and Timpani. Also on the program, music by Holst, Purcell, Sibelius, and Arensky. FUMC Longview 7:30 PM.

May 2 - Festival Encore with Orchestra - FUMC Shreveport, LA. Free concert with the First United Methodist Church Choir conducted by Will Andress and the Centenary College Choir conducted by David Hobson. Featured soloists Lori Lusted, soprano, Sara Wilkerson, soprano, Janet Coughlin, mezzo and Margaret Williams Jones, soprano. Excerpts from Carmina Burana, Battle Hymn of the Republic, traditional Spirituals, excerpt from Mendelssohn's Elijah, excerpts from Faure's Requiem and Mack Wilberg's arrangement of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". FUMC Organist E.Ray Peebles will be featured in the last movement from Josef Rheinberger's Organ Concert No. 1 in F. 4:00 PM Sunday.

May 8 - Texarkana Symphony (TSO) presents an Italian Evening at St James Church 5th and Olive in Texarkana 7:00 PM featuring two International Artists. Tickets at 1.870.773.3401 or andrewtso@windstream.net

May 9 - Gilbert and Sullivan Orchestra presents an Italian Festival at St Joseph's Church, Shreveport, LA at 3:00 PM featuring two International Artists. Tickets at 1-800.957.8667 or http://www.gsnla.org/

May 15 - SSO - Keyboard Extravaganza - piano soloists Alon Goldstein and Stanislav Ioudenitich. FBC organist Sherry Upshaw playing Saint Saen's Concerto No. 3 (Organ Concerto). @ FBC Shreveport, Highland at Ockley 7:30 PM Saturday.

May 29 - SASO South Arkansas Symphony - Two FREE concerts 2:00 PM First Financial Bank Senior Concert  and 4:00 PM Symphony on the Square at 7:30 PM. Two very popular concerts featuring Patriotic Music.

If you know of another concert in the month of May, let me know and I will post it.