Symphoria announces upcoming season

SYRACUSE — Symphoria, Central New York’s symphony orchestra, today announced its next season, a 20-concert, six-venue series.

The season begins Sept. 20 with a showing of “The Wizard of Oz” with live orchestration, the first of four concerts in the “Pops Series,” the orchestra said in a news release.

Symphoria, one of only two co-op orchestras in the U.S., is the orchestra of Musical Associates of CNY, “a nonprofit organization made up of nearly 50 members of the former Syracuse Symphony Orchestra,” according to the Symphoria website.

“Music of Three Centuries,” the first of six “Master Works” concerts, debuts Sept. 27. Symphoria holds Pops and Master Works concerts in the Crouse Hinds Theatre of the John Mulroy Civic Center at 411 Montgomery St. in Syracuse.

Symphoria also returns to St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral at 310 Montgomery St. for four Sunday afternoon concerts as part of its “Casual Concerts.”

In addition, the orchestra, with accompaniment from the Syracuse University Oratorio Society, will perform “Messiah” at St. Paul’s on Dec. 7.

Symphoria’s “Spark Concerts” are performed in non-traditional venues with music programs designed specifically for those venues, the organization says.

The symphony will perform the “Spark Concerts” in downtown venues this season, returning to the Museum of Science and Technology, more commonly known as the MOST, on Nov. 1; the Everson Museum on Valentine’s Day; and to the WCNY Broadcast and Education Center on May 30, according to the Symphoria news release.

Symphoria anticipates a “robust” second season, Catherine Underhill, managing director, said in the release.

“As we approach the end of our first full season of restoring a full-time, professional symphony to the Central New York region, we’ve been thrilled with the warm reception we’ve received from our growing audiences. Our goal is to reciprocate by always welcoming the entire community to participate in the excitement of Symphoria. We’re confident, regardless of music knowledge, that the dynamic experience of top-quality symphonic music will create new patrons,” Underhill said.

Symphoria will also perform three “Young People’s Concerts” in the 2014-15 season, representing an increase from the two “Young People’s Concerts” in the current season.

The symphony has scheduled those concerts for Oct. 26, Jan. 31, and April 18 at Inspiration Hall, which is located at 709 James St. in Syracuse.

Inspiration Hall is a donated venue with “high-end” audio and visual equipment.

“With this exciting new location and programming, we’re looking forward to engaging lots of kids and their families,” Underhill said.

In an effort to make orchestral music “accessible to everyone,” Symphoria has moved its box office downtown at 234 Harrison St; added a smartphone app to “better engage” last-minute concert goers; offers free tickets to anyone 18 years old or younger and $5 tickets to all college students, Underhill said.

Season tickets for the 2014-15 Symphoria season are on sale now. Single tickets will go on sale May 15, the organization said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com