When the Utah Symphony commences the Celebrity Concert Series, the works of Mozart and Tchaikovsky will resonate through Cox Auditorium.
Gail Bunker, manager of the Celebrity Concert Series and DSC coordinator of cultural affairs, said the Utah Symphony has been a staple of the Celebrity Concert Series since the beginning.
The Utah Symphony is based in Salt Lake City and plays a majority of concerts in the acclaimed Abravanel Hall. The symphony does travel to other Utah venues and Midwest states.
Thierry Fischer, music director and principal conductor of the Utah Symphony, plays multiple roles. Bunker said this is impressive because typically there is an assistant director. At the helm since 2009, Fischer conducted numerous symphonies in Europe before being involved with the Utah Symphony.
Students can expect acclaimed pieces from renowned composers at the concert.
Symphony No. 41 in C major—also known as “Jupiter”—by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Symphony No. 5 in E minor, op. 64 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be played at the concert. The Utah Symphony also commits to performing and recording contemporary American pieces, so there will be a wide variety of music.
Why should DSC students, particularly those not familiar with classical music, come to the show?
Bunker said this is a rare chance for DSC students to see a symphony as prestigious as the Utah Symphony, especially so close—since they play a majority of their concerts in Salt Lake City.
“[The Utah Symphony] is a Southern Utah favorite, and I’m sure this concert will be sold out,” Bunker said. “They are one of the foremost symphonies in the West, and we are fortunate to have them.”
Dexter Humphreys, a sophomore psychology major from Hatch, said the concert will not only be a positive experience for students, but it will also be beneficial to DSC as a whole.
“I think it’s good representation for the college,” Humphreys said. “They’re a well-known symphony—not just here in the state but on a national level—and it is good publicity for [DSC].”
The Utah Symphony will perform on Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Cox Auditorium. Tickets will go on sale Oct. 1. DSC students can purchase tickets for $5 and general admission is $15. For more information contact the Cox Auditorium Box Office at 435-652-7800.