The Charlottesville Symphony is a unique hybrid orchestra, made up of professional musicians most of whom serve as music faculty at the University of Virginia, volunteer community members and talented UVA students from a broad range of academic disciplines.
For nearly a half-century, the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia has been recognized as one of Central Virginia’s leading music ensembles. The orchestra is known for exciting performances and a commitment to inclusive education and community engagement programs for people of all ages.
The culminating event of the Charlottesville Symphony’s 2023-24 season features guest artists and composers from the University of Virginia. The eclectic program includes Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to West Side Story; a specially crafted orchestral arrangement of “Creation”, “Embryo” and “Birth” by percussionist, sound artist and UVA Assistant Professor of Music JoVia Armstrong; Threnody (Sikuigvik), a work for instruments, electronics and glacier sounds by UVA Professor of Composition and Computer Technologies and eco-acoustician Matthew Burtner; UVA Director of Jazz Performance John D’earth’s Concerto for Quintet and Orchestra; and an arrangement of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero that adds all of the UVA guest artists to the traditional orchestration.
JoVia Armstrong performs in her own work. Joining the orchestra in John D’earth’s concerto is UVA’s resident jazz quintet, the Free Bridge Quintet, whose members include John D’earth, trumpet; Jeff Decker, saxophone; Peter Spaar, bass; Robert Jospé, drums; and Calvin Brown, piano.
