Genesee Symphony Orchestra

CORRECTION: Updated to clarify the concert is at Elba Central School Auditorium.

You are invited to a special afternoon "Romantic Masterpieces" concert performed by the Genesee Symphony Orchestra at Elba Central School followed by fine dining at the Dibble Family Center on Sunday, May 6.

The concert is at 4 p.m. Cocktails are available at the cash bar along with hors d'oeuvres beginning at 6 o'clock at Dibble Center. Dinner will follow at 6 p.m.

Dinner choices are:

• Steak au poivre with grilled vegetable & potato;
• Chicken French -- egg/cheese battered chicken, sauteed in white wine and lemon, served over angel-hair pasta with escarole & artichoke hearts;
• Grilled salmon with grilled vegetable & potato.

All dinners include garden salad, fresh rolls, and butter, coffee, tea, and dessert.

Cost is $25 per person, $45 per couple.

Reservation deadline is May 3 to Roxie Choat at 356-9635.

The Dibble Family Center is located at 4120 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

GSO Conductor S. Shade Zajac led a group of young musicians today in a string workshop at the First Presbyterian Church of Batavia.

The students will perform May 6 with the Genesee Symphony Orchestra at Elba Central School on Sibelus, "Andante Festivo." 

The program that day includes featured soloist Mimi Hwang on cello joining the orchestra for Elgar's "Concerto for Cello & Orchestra in E-minor."

The orchestra will also perform Wagner's "Siegfried's Death & Funeral March," Howard Hanson's "Symphony No. 2 'Romantic," and Holst's "St. Paul's Suite for String Orchestra."

The concert, "Romantic Masterpieces," begins at 4 p.m.

Tickets are available through geneseesymphony.com or GO Art!, Roxy's Music Store, YNGodess, and Smokin' Eagle BBQ  & Brew in Le Roy.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra rehearsed Monday night at Batavia High School for its concert this Sunday featuring the music of Tchaikovsky and a solo performance by David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The program includes Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, David Kim solo violin, Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, and The Sleeping Beauty: Polonaise.

The concert is at 4 p.m. in the auditorium at Elba Central School.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for students, $10 for seniors, and $35 for families.

Photos by Chris Choate.

The Asteria String Quartet's "First Viennese Valentine's" performance scheduled for this Saturday at the Dibble Family Center in Batavia has been canceled.

One of the quartet's members had an unforeseen circumstance arise and will not be able to perform. It was not possible for the quartet to find a replacement musician on such short notice.

The performance was sponsored by the Genesee Symphony Orchester and Musical Director Shade Zajac, and quartet member, shares his deepest regrets for the canceling.

The GSO will refund all ticket purchases. For a refund, call Roxie Choate at (585) 356-9635 and she will mail a refund to you if you purchased tickets.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs its annual Christmas concert tomorrow (Sunday) at 4 p.m. at St. Mary's Church in Batavia.

The program includes "Dance of the Tumblers" from Snow Maiden by Rimsky-Korsakov, Canadian Brass Christmas, "The Snowman," by Howard Blake and narrated by Laurence Tallman,  (top photo), Holiday Favorites with a special guest vocalist: "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," "(There’s no place like) Home for the Holidays," "White Christmas," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Sleigh Ride," and "Christmas Festival."

Tickets will be available at the door.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs tonight at Perry High School and again tomorrow at Genesee Community College.

Mia Fasanello, a winner of the Young Artist Competition, on oboe, is one of the featured performers in a show titled "Festivals, Techno, and Fate!"

The program includes "Academic Festival Overture" by Brahms, "The B-Sides," "Five Pieces for Orchestra and Electronica" by Bates, and "Symphony no. 5 in C Minor" by Beethoven.

During Friday's rehearsal, young music students were invited to sit next to orchestra musicians and experience the music from within the orchestra.

This evening's Perry performance starts at 7 p.m. and Sunday's GCC performance is at 4 p.m.

Tickets are available at the door or through GSO's website.

This weekend GCC celebrated its 50th anniversary with the Cougar Crawl (visiting downtown businesses), homecoming activities, including a kids zone, a car cruise, and campus tour, and a Golden Gala capped by a performance of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra.

Photos Courtesy of Genesee Community College.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs today as part of Genesee Community College's 50th Anniversary Fall Gala in the brand new Richard C. Call Arena.

The concert starts at 5 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Members of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra visited Oakfield-Alabama Elementary School yesterday to meet with students from each grade to talk with them about classical music and the instruments they use. Above, Bob Knipe talks about his French horn. 

Muris Director / Conductor S. Shade Zajac

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs in Elba Central School at 4 p.m., Sunday, in its final concert of the season.

The program is called "Escaping Gravity: A Journey Through the Stars," and features "And God Created Great Whales," by Hovhaness, "Music from Apollo 13," arranged by John Moss and featuring the String Workshop, "Suite from Close Encounters of the Third Kind," by John Williams, and "The Planets," by Holst.

Musical Director S. Shade Zajac conducts.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for students, $10 for seniors and families are $35. Tickets can be purchased online at GeneseeSymphony.com.

Photos are from Monday's rehearsal.

Internationally acclaimed pianist Brian Preston performs tomorrow with the Genesee Symphony Orchestra.

They will perform Brahms, "Concerto No. 1 in D Minor."

Also on the program, "Danzon No. 2" by Marquez.

Shade Zajac conducts.

The concert starts at 4 p.m. in the Stuart Steiner Theater at GCC. Tickets are available online at GeneseeSymphony.com or at the door.

St. Mary's yesterday held a capacity audience for the annual Genesee Symphony Orchestra holiday show, which featured performances by Emily Helenbrook, of Alexander, and Young Artist Competition winner Amelia Snyder.

The family of conductor Shade Zajac also dedicated a new podium his grandfather made and donated to the GSO.

When it came time for the orchestra to play "Sleigh Bells," Zajac invited a young member of the audience to step onto the podium to conduct the orchestra. Shannon Campbell stepped forward (photo below provided by her mother).

The GSO's next concert is at 4 p.m., March 12, at Genesee Community College, and will feature pianist Brian Preston. Music will include Brahms, Concerto No. 1 in D Minor and Marquez, Danzon No. 2.

Emily Helenbrook, of Alexander and a soprano, a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, who has performed from Buffalo to California, will be a featured artist tomorrow during the Genesee Symphony Orchestra's annual holiday concert at St. Mary's Church.

For more about Helenbrook, see our previous story: Emily Helenbrook dreams big, works hard as she seeks career as opera singer

Also featured will be Amelia Snyder, on alto saxophone, and one of GSO's Young Artist Competition winners.

The program includes:

• Ukrainian Bell Chorale, arrangement by Nancy Strelau
• Fanfare from La Perri, Dukas
• Concerto for Saxophone and Strings, Glazonov
• Christ at the Movies, arranged by Krogstag
• Emily Helenbrook singing several selections
• Canadian Brass, arrangement by Custer
• Sleigh Ride, Leroy Anderson
• Christmas Festival, Anderson.

The concert begins at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. To purchase tickets online, please make your purchase by 1 p.m. tomorrow. Visit GeneseeSymphony.com

Conductor Shade Zajac leads the Genesee Symphony Orchestra through a rehearsal Monday night at Batavia High School as the GSO prepares for its annual holiday concert at St. Mary's on Dec. 11.

The program includes: 

• Guests: Emily Helenbrook, soprano, and young artist competition winner Amelia Snyder, alto saxophone
• Ukrainian Bell Chorale, arrangement by Nancy Strelau
• Fanfare from La Perri, Dukas
• Concerto for Saxophone and Strings, Glazonov
• Christ at the Movies, arranged by Krogstag
• Emily Helenbrook singing several selections
• Canadian Brass, arrangement by Custer
• Sleigh Ride, Leroy Anderson
• Christmas Festival, Anderson

To purchase tickets, click here.

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra, led by new conductor S. Shade Zajac, opens its 2016-17 season tomorrow at 4 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church in Batavia.

The concert will feature performances by the winners of the annual Young Artists Competition, Jackie Hager, cello (top photo), and Jarod Yap, piano (second photo).

The program includes a piece by New York composer Dana Willson, "A Shortcut Home," along with Concerto in D Minor, by Lalo, Concerto in A Minor, by Schumann and "Scheherazade," by Rimsky-Korsako.

Purchase tickets online on the GSO website.