Susanville Symphony
The internationally acclaimed Susanville Symphony, led by artistic director and conductor Ben Wade, devotes itself to bringing classical music to the rural community. File photo
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usanville, Calif. may be known for its high desert, pine-covered mountains and great fishing but it is also home of an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra. With a population of about 12,000 and the nearest big city 90 miles away, Susanville is a very rural community. Yet, this frontier country boasts its own symphony orchestra of more than 55 musicians. While the Susanville Symphony thrives on classical music, artistic director and conductor Benjamin J. Wade has not been averse to pop music and arranging rock ballads for a full orchestra. Wade is a seasoned musician and aspiring composer with never-ending energy. He will tell you the idea of a symphony came about when a group of friends began talking about the need for a musical outlet in Susanville. Some of those friends included Dr. Raymond White, Eric Toews and the late Victor SainteMarie. The audience, the emotional and financial reason the symphony exists, enjoys the charisma of the conductor as well as the talent of the orchestra. The appreciation pulses through the community and is one of the foremost factors encouraging musicians and music lovers to take on the grand endeavor of keeping a full symphony going year after year. The grateful audience shows its appreciation with prepaid memberships totaling more than 500 people. The eclectic group of musicians and volunteers, made up of local business people, teachers, retirees, high-school students and professionals, all strive to raise the bar higher and higher with each performance. Wade
and the musicians challenge themselves by playing more and more difficult compositions. Employing a board of directors in the infancy of the symphony has helped catapult the success of the group. The board, consisting of very committed, driven individuals, has devoted itself to bringing the gift of classical music to the rural community. Early on the vision of the group extended beyond just having an orchestra. The board set out to be the guiding force promoting music in Northeastern California. The society created the Susanville Music in the School program which has created a youth orchestra, funded scholarships for music lessons and camps, provided master classes and implemented an instrument repair and loan program. In 2010, the symphony premiered possibly the first symphony/ballet collaboration, “The Four Elements,” which was written by Wade and choreographed by dance director Jessica Newton, and local dance instructors Joan Zuehlke and Nicole McCoy. During that same year, the society opened the Susanville Symphony Music Academy on the Meadow View School campus in Susanville. The academy offers a wide range of instrument classes and vocal lessons to children as young as 7 to adults. Violin virtuoso Elizabeth Pitcairn, owner of the famous 1720 Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius violin, graced the Susanville Symphony in 2012, with both a private fundraising concert gala and a performance with the orchestra. The 2012-2013 year marked the symphony’s 10th anniversary and the emergence of
Lassen County Visitors Guide 2013-14
the Susanville Choral Society, which operates as an independent performance group and in collaboration with the Susanville Symphony Orchestra. Liudmilla Mullin, a classically trained mezzo-soprano, heads the new group. For more information about the Susanville Symphony, visit susanvillesymphony.com, or call (530) 257-2920 for ticket information and concert dates. ❖ The Susanville Symphony is a 501 (C) 3 and all donations are tax deductible.
2013 - 2014 Concert Dates Swing concert — Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Susanville Veterans Memorial Hall. Christmas concert — Friday, Dec. 13 and Sunday, Dec. 15 at the Susanville Assembly of God Church. America: A Portrait of Music, all American Composers — Friday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 23 at the Susanville Assembly of God Church. Curse of the Nines — Friday, April 11 and Sunday, April 13 at the Susanville Assembly of God Church. Pops concert — Friday, June 13 and Sunday, June 15 at the Susanville Assembly of God Church.
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