How to go
What: Middletown Symphony Orchestra will present an “Evening Pops Concert” with special guests Calabria Foti and Bob McChesney
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Dave Finkelman Auditorium, Miami University Middletown
Cost: $30 adults, $20 students
More info: 513-424-2426
Conducted by Carmon DeLeone, the Middletown Symphony Orchestra will present an “Evening Pops Concert” on Saturday at Dave Finkelman Auditorium at Miami University Middletown.
The concert will feature praised vocalist Calabria Foti and famed jazz trombonist and arranger Bob McChesney, with appearances by Rick VanMatre (saxophone), Mike Darrah (piano), Mike Sharfe (bass) and Carmon DeLeone (drums). Audiences can expect to hear many of the selections from Foti’s CD “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening” along with a collection of other fine musical standards.
“This concert is going to be a terrific highlight of the season,” said Carmon DeLeone, the symphony’s musical director. “Normally, we have citizen conductors appear on the program, we call it the ‘conductor auction pops,’ but we are doing things a little differently this year. The entire program will be devoted to a special guest artist, Calabria Foti, which I didn’t believe that I could have visit us.”
DeLeone described Foti as one of today’s finest singers. He initially heard about Calabria from one of his orchestra members, who gave him a copy of her CD. When he listened to the CD in his car for the first time, he said he was thrilled. Since listening, he has raved about her to all of his friends. It was through those musical friends that he connected with Foti and he asked her to join the MSO for a performance.
“I would have to say my favorite female singer of all time is probably Rosemary Clooney, simply because of her taste, simplicity and her beautiful intonation,” DeLeone said. “I haven’t found a singer since Rosemary that I’ve felt the same way about, until I heard Calabria Foti.”
“This is a chance for our audience to hear not only Calabria’s voice, but to hear the beautiful arrangements that her husband, Bob McChesney created. We will also feature him on the program,” said the conductor. “I hope you can tell from my enthusiasm that I’m eager to have this program take place.”
Guests will enjoy about 17 selections during the concert, including, “A Lovely Way to Spend An Evening,” “Do It Again,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “On the Street Where You Live,” and Duke Ellington’s “In A Mellow Tone,” to name a few.
This year’s concert line-up marks Carmon DeLeone’s 32nd season with the Middletown Symphony Orchestra and his 50th anniversary as a conductor.
“May will mark my 50th anniversary year in this business of orchestral conducting. My first experience in this profession was in the pit for the musical, ‘Bye, Bye Birdie’ at the University of Cincinnati. It was the first thing I conducted, officially. So we thought it might be fun to celebrate the semicentennial of that event with a concert performance of ‘Birdie’” DeLeone said.
“The star and director of that show at UC so many years ago was the fantastically talented Mr. Lee Roy Reams, who went on to star in multiple Broadway shows. As a director and a performer, he’s still singing up a storm, and entertaining all over the world. So, fortunately for us, Lee Roy will return to our stage for Concert IV, ‘Matinee Musicals!’ and help to celebrate this milestone for both of us,” he said.
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