LEXINGTON SYMPHONY AND NASHUA SYMPHONY PRESENT MAHLER'S SYMPHONY NO. 8 "SYMPHONY OF A THOUSAND"

This November, in a rare collaboration between orchestras, the Lexington Symphony and the Nashua Symphony present Mahler's Symphony No. 8, "Symphony of a Thousand." Jonathan McPhee, Music Director for both Nashua and Lexington symphonies, is the conductor.

The performances are Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. at Cary Hall in Lexington, and Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. at Keefe Memorial Auditorium in Nashua, N.H. Tickets are selling fast for both concerts. Saturday's concert is sponsored by the Lexington Symphony Concert Fund Partners. Sunday's concert is sponsored by RBC Wealth Management.

Joining the two orchestras are the Nashua Symphony Chorus, the New World Chorale, Boston Children's Chorus, and eight acclaimed soloists: Elizabeth Keusch, soprano; Michele Trainor, soprano; Marjorie Elinor Dix, mezzo-soprano; Tania Mandzy, mezzo-soprano; Janice Edwards, mezzo-soprano; John Mac Master, tenor; Steven Scheschareg, baritone; and Fred Furnari, bass.

Mahler's Eighth Symphony was the first truly choral symphony ever written, billed as the "Symphony of a Thousand" when first performed in 1910. Huge musical forces are needed to perform the work: full strings plus roughly fifty wind, brass, and percussion players, double chorus, boys' choir, and eight vocal soloists. To get a sense of the magnificent sweep of this late-Romantic masterwork, Mahler himself suggested that you "try to imagine the whole universe beginning to ring and resound." These words come close to approximating what it will sound like when hundreds of instrumentalists and vocalists come together for these performances.

Clearly a work of this magnitude falls outside the scope of all but the most established orchestras in our country, with the result that many in smaller communities never have a chance to hear this remarkable symphony in live performance. One might expect this event to take place in Symphony Hall, but the orchestras agreed that this work should be presented in their local communities, making this a unique musical event for the region. Both Nashua and Lexington Symphonies are professional orchestras with strong connections to local communities. Collaborations between professional orchestras on this scale are nearly unheard of. This proposal is uniquely possible because Lexington Symphony and Nashua Symphony share a Music Director, a willingness of the musicians to work together, and a common goal of bringing a truly special, transformative live performance of a masterwork to their respective communities, while providing a unique opportunity for musical development within their own organizations by tackling this challenging work.

Henry Fogel, Dean of the Chicago College of Performing Arts and Former President of the League of American Orchestras and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, says of this project: "In my 46 years of professional involvement with symphony orchestras and classical music, I have never come across a project like this, where two symphony orchestras have combined their forces to produce a performance of Mahler's gigantic Eighth Symphony. Mahler's Eighth is an enormous undertaking, not only because of the huge performing forces required to bring it off, but because it requires a conductor with the right blend of technical accomplishment and ability to inspire. Having had the privilege of seeing Jonathan McPhee conduct on a number of occasions, there is no question in my mind that he is the right person for the task. This will be a thrilling pair of performances for those lucky enough to be present."

The Nashua Symphony Chorus, led by Diane Cushing, has been affiliated with the Nashua Symphony Orchestra since 1964 and regularly performs major works of the choral/orchestral repertoire with them. The New World Chorale, led by Holly MacEwen Krafka, is one of the most in-demand choruses in the greater Boston area and has performed with many prominent orchestras in the area. Its membership is comprised on some of the Boston area's most experienced choral singers and soloists who have performed both locally and internationally with the world's major orchestras. The Boston Children's Chorus, led by Anthony Trecek-King, is an innovative arts education organization that unites area children ages 7-18 across differences of race, religion and socioeconomic status. Beginning with only 20 children in a pilot training program, today the BCC serves over 350 singers in nine choirs in four Boston locations.

The Lexington Symphony is a group of dedicated professional musicians who share a passion for music and for exacting standards of performance, The symphony is now in its seventh year under the direction of Maestro Jonathan McPhee, one of the leading musical figures in New England and the Music Director for the Boston Ballet. The symphony season runs from September through June with six ticketed concerts, community outreach programs, and a dedicated education program for the next generation of musicians, including their acclaimed Orchestrating Kids Through ClassicsTM.

The Nashua Symphony is the destination for live concert music in southern New Hampshire, with programs that are intricately connected both to each other and to you, through exciting repertoire, outstanding guest artists, outreach activities, and more.The Nashua Symphony Association seeks to enrich the quality of life in southern New Hampshire through high-quality performances of orchestral and choral music, and by enhancing the music-education opportunities for citizens of all ages.

Tickets for November 20 are available online at http://www.lexingtonsymphony.org, by phone at 781-523-9009, with your check payable to Lexington Symphony, or in person at Wales Copy Center, 1810 Mass Ave., Lexington (cash/check only). Individual ticket prices: $55, $48, $35, $20 (student).

Tickets for November 21 are available online at http://www.nashuasymphony.org, by phone at 603-595-9156, by mail or in person at Nashua's Symphony's office at 6 Church Street, Nashua, NH, or by fax at 603-595-1890. Individual tickets prices: $47, $35, $25, $10 (student).