The Jackson Symphony Orchestra will kick off its 75th season Friday with its annual free summer pops concert. The theme for this year’s season opener is A Salute to America.
While the program features selections from American composers like John Philip Sousa, it’s not all patriotic march music. Conductor Matthew Aubin points out one piece is a nod to the Jackson Symphony Orchestra’s history.
“You may have noticed that we’re doing the American Civil War Fantasy by Jerry Bilik,” he explained. “Bilik was actually one of the conductors of the Jackson Symphony way back in the 70s.”
Another choice made by the maestro is Midway March by John Williams.
“I remember my dad buying a tape of the greatest hits of John Williams and the Boston Pops and playing it over and over again on the car ride to youth orchestra, and shadow conducting in the car,” Aubin said. “For me, even though that’s maybe not as popular as Raiders of the Lost Ark or Star Wars, that’s a sentimental favorite for me.”
Other highlights of the program include Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to Candide and Aaron Copland’s Hoedown. Alas, the JSO is not planning to utilize a real canon for Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
Aubin boasted that the 75 season milestone proves that the Jackson Symphony Orchestra has, and continues to be, well managed and valued in the community.
"Those two things really come together and give us a starting point. And then, I think what we’d like to really do this year is talk a lot about what we’re most proud of, talk about how we’ve grown, and really have a big party at each concert throughout the season.”
When he took the position of music director in 2016, Aubin would tell people the JSO was more than just a regional professional orchestra playing five concerts a year; it’s an organization that owns its own building in downtown Jackson, has a community music school and a growing endowment now valued, he says, at around $7 million. He called that “punching above your weight."
The concert runs in conjunction with a free cruise-in featuring classic cars and food trucks. The music starts at 7 p.m. Friday in Blackman Park in downtown Jackson, across the street from the JSO’s Weatherwax Hall, so it would be smart to bring something to sit on.
If it rains, the program will move inside the hall.
While it’s free, there are some VIP tickets available, with a pre-concert reception and prime seating.
Classical music host Jamie Paisley will be at the WKAR tent for Friday’s concert.
The Jackson Symphony Orchestra is a financial contributor of WKAR.
