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The crowd brought their own lawn chairs and blankets from home, washing down popcorn with root beer and lemonade. Attire was summer casual with people wearing Capri pants and shorts. Temperatures hovered around 80 degrees.
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More than a thousand people gathered in Winona’s Lake Park on Tuesday evening to watch the Minnesota Orchestra perform to kick off the second season of the Minnesota Beethoven Festival. (photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
Last year, more than a thousand people showed up for the free concert. This year, many of those concert-goers returned, including 17-year-old Elaine Ayers of Winona.
Ayers plays viola with the Winona Senior High School Orchestra and attended with some of her fellow orchestra members last year. This year, she brought Emily Hinz, 17, who plays French horn.
Ayers likes seeing the Minnesota Orchestra play in both an outdoors venue and the more traditional orchestra hall.
“This is a lot more informal,” Ayers said as she sat on a pink blanket. “It’s nice to have both.”
Ayers loves classical music and was looking forward to the “1812 Overture” the most.
“The more you listen to classical music, the more you appreciate it,” Ayers said.
Hinz agreed.
“Every time you listen to it, it sounds different,” Hinz said. “It makes you want to keep listening.”
Jennifer McGee, 28, and James Wilson, 29, came from their home in Fountain City, Wis., with their three-month-old daughter, Piper Sage.
Wilson, who wore a Bob Dylan shirt, said he likes all kinds of music. McGee played music for Piper while she was still in the womb.
“When I dance for her, she smiles,” McGee said.
The program was an early Fourth of July celebration, with selections including John Stafford Smith’s “The Star-Spangled Banner,” John Williams’ “Summon the Heroes,” Steve Heitzeg’s “Blue Liberty” and an Armed Forces Salute.
The orchestra was directed by
associate conductor Sarah Hatsuko Hicks.
The second season of the Minnesota Beethoven Festival has already been a huge success, with many of the concerts selling out, including tonight’s Ambassador Trio concert and upcoming
concerts by the Kenner-Kirk Piano Duo, Joshua Bell, The King’s Singers from England and Pacifica String Quartet.
The Minnesota Orchestra returns to conclude the summer portion of the festival July 20 with music director Osmo Vänska conducting Beethoven’s first and sixth symphonies.
Contact Käri Knutson at kknutson@winonadailynews.com or (507) 453-3523.
always wondering wrote on Jul 2, 2008 10:30 AM: