UW Symphony Orchestra’s Season-Opening Concert Oct. 1

There’s something magical about opening. Opening night at the Metropolitan Opera, with all the glitter and formality; opening day in baseball, with its promise of another great season; opening round at the U.S. Open -- they all promise excitement and anticipation. And Laramie is no exception.

The UW Symphony Orchestra’s opening-night concert is Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts concert hall.

The orchestra will open with the dramatic “Egmont” overture by Beethoven. The entire second half of the concert is Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 21.” Its beautiful middle movement was used in the 1967 motion picture “Elvie Madigan.”

Between these classics, the orchestra will delve into three very different short works. Liu Tieshan’s “Dance of the Yao People” is an atmospheric Chinese work, with beautiful flowing sections contrasted by exciting, fast portions. Lili Boulanger’s impressionistic “D’un matin de printemps” (On a Spring Morning) is as fresh-sounding as the title indicates. Alan Hovhaness’ “And God Created Great Whales” combines ethereal whale songs with what the composer called “free non-rhythm chaos” and a flowing, mysteriously pentatonic melody.

UW Symphony Music Director Michael Griffith is starting his 38th year at the helm of the orchestra. In the last year, he conducted two performances in Brazil, one near Knoxville, Tenn., and one in Denver, in addition to last year’s UW Symphony series. Over his long career, he has conducted on four continents, taught at such schools as Shanghai University and Finland’s Sibelius Academy, and served as president of the International Conductors Guild.

Griffith is a winner of an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and conducted 31 world premieres, and his UW Symphony was chosen as one of three college orchestras to participate in the 2010 Ford Made in America program. His broadcast performances include the Nigerian Broadcasting Co., Canadian Broadcasting Corp., Minnesota Public Radio, Nebraska Public Radio, University of Illinois Public Radio and KUSF San Francisco.

The soloist for the Mozart concerto is pianist Soyeon Kang, who has built a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician and educator. In 2022, she made her successful debut at Carnegie Hall in New York, and she won top prizes in numerous international and national competitions, including the IAPM International Music Competition, American Protégé International Competition, International Piano Association Competition, Busan Music Education Association, Busan Duo Association, International Piano Association, Glovil National Music Competition and International Student Piano Competition.

Kang has taught at Dong-Eui University and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in her native South Korea. With her interest in historical performance practice, she has actively participated in many Baroque concerts, including collaborations with renowned early music vocalists, harpsichord duo performances and solo harpsichord recitals.

Tickets are available at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/uwyo/6984, by phone at (307) 766-6666 or at the Performing Arts box office. The symphony’s opening-night fall concert often is very full, so Griffith says guests should reserve their tickets early.