Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra

Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra
NEWS RELEASE
April 13, 2026
Contact: Leilani Kitler (231) 878-8439
Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra performs "A Symphony Sampler" on May 3, 2026.
The Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra will present its annual spring concert on May 3 at 3:00 p.m. in the Cadillac High School Auditorium. For many years, the spring concert has featured a "locally grown" soloist who has ties to Cadillac. The "Locally Grown" concerts showcased the talents of numerous artists who now enjoy careers performing on national and international stages or teaching at world-class institutions. For this concert, the featured artist is the symphony itself. The word "symphony" can refer to the musical form or to the musical ensemble. Through the centuries, both the musical form and the ensemble have evolved, thus this concert will present music written from the 18th to the 21st centuries and will feature the sounds and musical textures unique to each section of the orchestra.
The concert includes works that demonstrate music's ability to document historical events, depict nature, and evoke human emotions. The concert will begin with works of Giovanni Battista Sammartini and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, works that exemplify the classical symphonic form. From there, the orchestra will treat the audience to a variety of "symphonic experiences" including an orchestral rendition of the aria "La donna e mobile" from Verdi's opera Rigoletto and "City Trees" which through music depicts the sight of and resilience of trees growing within New York City.
The orchestra's brass section will perform a work released in 2026, "Lunar" by Canadian composer Charlie Wall-Andrews. Ms. Wall-Andrew's mission is to create contemporary music that is accessible to audiences, yet challenging and enjoyable for the ensembles. The concert will close with Ottorino Resphigi's Pines of the Appian Way. This work presents, in Resphigi's words, "the ceaseless rhythms of unending footsteps" of Roman soldiers and the "victorious sound of trumpets" as they approach the Roman capitol city.
Musicians are often asked about the investment they've made - financial and otherwise. How much do you practice every day? How old were you when you started playing? How much did you pay for your instrument? A casual survey of the Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra musicians revealed that most have played music since elementary school and continued playing in high school. While most of the CASO musicians pursued passions and careers in fields other than music once they graduated from high school, there are several musicians in this ensemble who continued their musical studies after high school graduation. Aspiring professional musicians may practice four hours a day, plus attend rehearsals, study scores and spend many hours listening to music. Our survey revealed that our musicians have invested a few as $0 - playing an instrument that was found in a basement, to as much as $37,000. Every time the Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra performs, the audience hears the result of those hours and years, lessons and rehearsals, and investments.
This performance of "A Symphony Sampler" will take place at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, May 3 at the Cadillac High School Auditorium, 400 Linden Street in Cadillac. Admission is $15 for adults; children age 12 and under and students with current student ID are admitted free of charge. Tickets may be purchased through Saturday, May 2 at Horizon Books and Brinks Custom Framing in Cadillac.
The Cadillac Area Symphony Orchestra is an all-volunteer organization; each season volunteers give thousands of hours to support the organization's mission. CASO strives to provide affordable, high-quality performances of orchestra music, to support music education for students in and around Cadillac, and to provide opportunities for local musicians to prepare and perform orchestra repertoire.

######

Category: Arts | Performing Arts | Theatre | Musical