February 21, 2007

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 To Be Performed at Gray Chapel

Jason Hiester

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is considered by many to be one of the greatest symphonies ever written. If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear it, you’ll have your chance at Ohio Wesleyan on March 4.

The Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra (COSO) will perform the Ninth Symphony as well as Beethoven’s Egmont Overture at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 4 in OWU’s Gray Chapel, under the direction of conductor Jamie Morales-Matos.

Jason Hiester, assistant professor of music at OWU, is a featured soloist in the performance. The concert is sponsored by Verizon and Verizon Wireless and the Ohio Arts Council.

The concert is a collaborative effort between COSO, the Ohio Wesleyan Choral Art Society conducted by Jason Hiester, the Ashland University Chorus conducted by Rowland Blackley, and the Miami University Collegiate Choral conducted by Ethan Sperry. “More than a year of preparation by COSO has gone into planning for this concert,” says Warren Hyer, executive director of the symphony.

According to Hyer, this will be the first time the Ninth Symphony has been performed in Delaware and is the only Central Ohio performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony this year. “It’s a very difficult piece to perform and requires a group of considerable skill,” Hyer says. “On a personal note, this is only the second opportunity I’ve had in my career to perform the Ninth.”

COSO’s performance of the Ninth Symphony will feature William Bausano, baritone; Ellen Graham, mezzo soprano; Jason Hiester, tenor; and Danielle Walker, soprano.

Hyer says the Ninth Symphony contains many familiar settings, including the second movement, which was used for many years as theme music for NBC’s Nightly News.

Tickets for the concert are available by phone through the COSO office at 740-362-1799; toll free at 888-999-2676; or at Pat’s Music, Buehler’s Food Mart, and the Arts Castle. Ticket prices are $17 for adults, $14 for seniors, $6 for students, and $4 for children. For more information, visit COSO’s Web site at www.CentralOhioSymphony.org.

The Central Ohio Symphony is a 60-member professional orchestra serving Delaware, Marion, Union, Licking, and northern Franklin Counties of central Ohio.

— Ericka Kurtz