Love the symphony, but not into the suit-and-tie routine? You’re not alone. That’s why the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s annual Beethoven & Blue Jeans concert is so popular.
On Nov. 14-15, the ASO will perform Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7,” along with works by Gioachino Rossini and Shuying Li. The best part? Everyone will be dressed casually, even the musicians.
Before the music begins, guests can enjoy a street party at the newly renovated B. Finley Vinson Plaza on West Markham Street, next to the Robinson Center. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday, with food trucks, a cash bar and live music. Admission is included with a concert ticket, and blue jeans and other casual attire are encouraged.
Concertgoers can also arrive early for a pre-concert lecture, held 45 minutes before each performance. Associate conductor Matthew Pavon and guest artists will offer insight into the program, with musical examples to enrich the listening experience.
Want to learn more before the concert weekend? On Nov. 5, ASO Music Director Geoffrey Robson will host a free lecture at the ASO Stella Boyle Smith Music Center. Beginning at noon, he’ll share behind-the-scenes insights, present musical excerpts and answer questions about the upcoming Masterworks concert.
“Beethoven & Blue Jeans is a wonderful opportunity to experience the orchestra in the most approachable way,” Robson says. “This program brings together a work that will be familiar to all, a new concerto featuring our own ASO soloists and the joyful and emotional seventh symphony of Beethoven.”
You have two opportunities to see the show: at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday. For more information and to get your tickets, visit the ASO website.
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