Rockford Symphony Orchestra kicks off season with community celebration

The Rockford Symphony Orchestra and the Coronado Theatre kicked off the performing arts season with a celebration at the downtown theater, featuring a live organ performance, prizes, desserts, and drinks.

This event marked the beginning of a new season for the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, which is the resident company of the Coronado Theatre.

Joel Ross, the newly appointed artistic director of the Nielsen Chorale, highlighted the community’s rich history in the performing arts, emphasizing the importance of singing societies that have been part of Rockford’s cultural fabric since its industrial days.

“If you love to sing with a symphony orchestra, you should really check out our mission to enlighten and to inspire, educate all of those things,” Ross said.

The Rockford Symphony Orchestra collaborates with various local performing arts groups, including the Rockford Dance Company. This season features several exciting changes, such as the introduction of free youth tickets for children aged 6 to 18 for all five masterworks concerts, thanks to the Shelton Family Foundation. The elevator in the parking garage that has been needing replacement has been. Parking has been reduced from $50 to just $5.

Kevin Stites has joined the Rockford Symphony Orchestra as the new principal pops conductor, following rave reviews as a guest conductor. His official start is in October, and he will be leading the Holiday Pops concert, which is a collaboration with the Nielsen Chorale, the Contra Youth Singers, and other local groups.

Mayor Tom McNamara spoke about the impact of the arts on the community, noting that they are a significant economic driver and help preserve cultural traditions. He emphasized the importance of supporting local arts organizations, especially in the wake of challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Richard Raether, artistic director of Artists Ensemble Theater, highlighted the importance of live theater in fostering empathy and cultural understanding.

“Live theater is, is so important to any community. If you want to increase empathy, particularly in young people, the most important thing you can do is take them to a live performance. Living vicariously through the characters live on stage is a fascinating and memorable experience. ”

The theater’s season includes a variety of productions, from musicals to thrillers, and aims to engage the community with professional performances.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.