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Asheville Symphony: A Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

2008 continued The 48th season opens in September with a concert featuring Alexander Arutunian’s Trumpet Concerto (1950); other mid-to-late 20th century music includes David Diamond’s Music for Romeo and Juliet (1947) in February 2009, Bohuslav Martinů’s Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra (1959) in March and David Stock’s Percussion Concerto (2007, 2008) in April; young guest artists for the season include trumpeter Vladislav Lavrik, pianist Michael Boriskin, violinist Chad Hoopes, pianist Angela Cheng, oboist Alicia Chapman and percussionist Lisa Pegher.

2009

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The 48th Season concluding concert includes a performance of Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo, with mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert and dancebased Attack Theatre of Pittsburgh

Mary Persin 2009 continued The 49th Season includes Arvo Pärt’s Fratres (1977, 1983, 1991) in October and Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez (1939) in May 2010; young guest artists include cellist Zuill Bailey in a return engagement, violist Mary Persin, violinist (and Asheville native) Noah Bendix-Balgley, pianist Di Wu, violinist Caroline Goulding, pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi and soprano Deborah Selig.

2010

In February the Symphony purchases a Steinway Concert Grand piano, with funds from a challenge grant from Eleanor Hall and contributions from, among others, the Guild, the Asheville Symphony Chorus, Asheville Bravo Concerts, the Asheville Area Piano Forum and Symphony musicians.

2010 continued The Asheville Symphony opens its 50th anniversary Season with “Symphony in the Park,” a free Labor Day concert in Pack Square Park, sponsored jointly with the Pack Square Conservancy, and supported by the Chaddick Foundation; Asheville City Councilwoman Esther Manheimer presents Symphony Executive Director Steven Hageman with a proclamation designating 20102011 “Symphony Year” in Asheville; the Pack Square Conservancy estimates the audience at over 5,000; the Asheville Citizen-Times reports, “Before the first notes were played, a review was already in for the Asheville Symphony’s Labor Day performance at Pack Square Park: There should be more free, outdoor concerts like this one. The sentiment echoed through the crowd of thousands gathered to celebrate the end of the holiday weekend with the show kicking off the symphony’s 50th anniversary season.”

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