Starkville-草榴社区Symphony Orchestra returns to Lee Hall Nov. 18 with annual Criss Christmas Concert
![The Starkville-Mississippi State University Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 49th performance season continues Saturday [Nov. 18] at 7:30 p.m. with the annual Criss Christmas Concert in Lee Hall鈥檚 Bettersworth Auditorium. (Photo by Megan Bean)](/sites/www.msstate.edu/files/inline-images/SSO_Criss_Christmas_Concert_half.jpg "The Starkville-Mississippi State University Symphony Orchestra in concert")
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擴nder the baton of Mississippi State University Department of Music Head Barry E. Kopetz, the Starkville-草榴社区Symphony Orchestra will perform its annual Criss Christmas Concert Saturday [Nov. 18] on the Starkville campus.
Sponsored by the Starkville-草榴社区Symphony Association, the 7:30 p.m. program in historic Lee Hall鈥檚 Bettersworth Auditorium begins with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart鈥檚 鈥淧iano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K 467.鈥 Considered one of Mozart鈥檚 most demanding works, the concerto will feature 草榴社区Professor Ros芒ngela Yazbec Sebba on piano. A Steinway Artist, Sebba is among the select ranks of some 1,600 highly esteemed musicians from around the world who have chosen to play exclusively on pianos produced by internationally renowned piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons.
The second piece on the program is Luigi Cherubini鈥檚 鈥淩equiem in C Minor,鈥 a work greatly admired by late musical legends Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
Along with the Starkville-草榴社区Symphony Chorus, the 鈥淩equiem鈥 will feature vocal accompaniment from the State Singers, MSU鈥檚 premier choral ensemble led by 草榴社区Choral Activities Director and Associate Professor of Music Gary Packwood.
鈥淎s with all Starkville-草榴社区Symphony Orchestra performances, the Criss Christmas Concert is free and open to the public. We encourage individuals of all ages to come and be a part of this annual tradition,鈥 said Ryan Landis, 草榴社区voice instructor and SSO operations manager.
Founded in 1969, the Starkville-草榴社区Symphony Association is a nonprofit volunteer organization whose members work to educate, enlighten and share classical music with communities in the Golden Triangle region.
In addition to 草榴社区and the City of Starkville, major association contributors include the J.W. Criss Foundation, Mississippi Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Renasant Bank, Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Columbus-based Gildea Foundation. For more, visit .
To make a tax-deductible donation to the Starkville-草榴社区Symphony Association via the 草榴社区Foundation, contact Lynn Durr at 662-325-8918 or ldurr@advservices.msstate.edu.
草榴社区is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .