(Above: The last concert of Eugene Symphony’s 2022-23 season features one of Eugene’s own, Carey Bell, now principal clarinetist with the San Francisco Symphony.)
Posted by Randi Bjornstad
Not only is the Eugene Symphony’s May 25 concert the last of the 2022-23 season, but it also features a prominent guest musician who grew up in Eugene — Carey Bell‚ who now is principal clarinetist with the San Francisco Symphony,
The program opens with a piece by American composer, violinist, and educator Jessie Montgomery that combines elements of big band-style jazz, rhythm-and blues, and funk.
Next up is Bell, with Aaron Copland’s lively Concerto, which the composer originally wrote for Benny Goodman, one of the U.S.’s foremost clarinet players and also the bandleader known as the King of Swing.
The concert finale is Maurice Ravel’s masterpiece, Daphnis et Chloé, with its decidedly Impressionist tones, and featuring the Eugene Symphony Chorus along with the orchestra.
The extras
Several additional activities are available to concertgoers in addition to the Thursday evening performance, including:
- 5 p.m. on Monday, May 22: Happy Hour with symphony artistic director and conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong at the First National Taphouse; drinks and snacks available for purchase. (In person, or watch on Instagram)
- 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23 in The Studo at the Hult Center: Clarinet master class with Carey Bell; free and open to the public
- 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25: Symphony Guild Pre-Concert Talk before the evening concert, featuring Lecce-Chong and Bell; open to ticketholders in their performance seats.
Concert details
When: 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, 2023
Where: Silva Concert Hall, Hult Center for the Performing Arts, One Eugene Center (7th and Willamette streets), Eugene
Tickets: $10 to $75, available at the Hult Center box office, 541-682-5000, or online at eugenesymphony.org or hultcenter.org
