The concert series begins on Thursday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church in Dawsonville. The second is on Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m. at the Old Courthouse on the Square in Blairsville. The final performance will be on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 p.m. at Dahlonega United Methodist Church. Admission is free, but donations to cover the expenses of the concerts will be accepted.
This concert features music from the 1700's through the 20th century, from Classics to Pops.
At intermission, professional musicians from the Chamber Symphony will perform a movement or two of chamber music.
The North Georgia Chamber Symphony came into being in 2002 as a community and school orchestra at North Georgia College and State University. In the summer of 2006, the community portion of the orchestra, along with a few college students, formed an ensemble known as North Georgia Sweet Strings and played for assisted living/nursing home facilities in the North Georgia area and for events in Dahlonega, including Autumnfest, Dahlonega's Old Fashioned Christmas, and Strings 'n Things Coffee House.
In spring of 2007, the group decided to separate from the school and become a private organization with the goal of growing into an organization with community support, community players, professional players and local college students to add orchestral music to an area where bluegrass, old-time and other musical traditions already had a firm foothold. The group also wanted to provide an orchestra and ensemble for local students interested in classical music.
The group's incorporation was completed in May of 2007, and its non-profit status was approved by the IRS on April 1, 2008. Playing as The Appalachian Chamber Orchestra from The North Georgia Chamber Symphony, Inc., the reconstituted organization held concerts in Blairsville and Dahlonega, and Windstream Communications filmed the Blairsville event, broadcasting it on the cable network and creating a DVD for sale.
In more recent years, the organization, which is considered a medium-sized chamber orchestra, has performed as The North Georgia Chamber Symphony, Inc., at periodic concerts in Blairsville, Dahlonega, Gainesville and Dawsonville, and its smaller ensemble has continued to make appearances at assisted living and nursing home facilities in the area and at local civic events.
Laurin Smith, who started the orchestra and has been its director and conductor ever since that time, studied extensively in the New York area with Masao Kawasaki and Itzhak Perlman. Since returning to his native Georgia, he has shared that knowledge with the members of the group and his students. An accomplished violinist, Smith performs regularly with symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles in the area.
Current members who perform regularly with the group who will take part in the concert series include Bob Christmas (concertmaster), Barbara Spruell, first violin: Betty Florence (principal second), Hannah Mott, and Jan Chester, second violin; Paula Jean Redditt, third violin; Rebecca Gerstenlauer (principal violist) and Mary Drath, viola; Jan Hill, cello. The orchestra is also comprised of professional musicians.
For more information on the North Georgia Chamber Symphony, Inc., go to http://northgeorgiachambersymphony.org or call 706-867-9444.
North Georgia Chamber Symphony
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