The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra presents Star Wars: A New Hope Live in Concert - October 12th and 13th in Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium

    KALAMAZOO, MI, September 26, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is excited to present Star Wars: A New Hope Live in Concert October 12th and 13th. These performances will mark the beginning of the KSO's exclusive three-year deal with Disney (announced March 31, 2017). This performance, under the direction of Resident Conductor and Interim Music Director, Daniel Brier, will feature the full length iconic film on the big screen while the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performs the thrilling score by the one and only John Williams.

Brier shares "When I first heard John Williams' score for Star Wars: A New Hope, I knew that one day I simply had to conduct this music. I am very excited to finally conduct this unbelievable film live with our amazing musicians."

"I'm so thrilled about our three-year alliance with Lucasfilm Ltd./Disney," said Peter H. Gistelinck, President & CEO of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. "These concerts are bringing our community together and many will experience a KSO concert for the first time. The KSO is committed to its strategic mission to serve our community through outstanding musical listening and learning experiences and to expanding our audiences by offering diverse programming."

This concert will take place on Thursday, October 12th and Friday October 13th at 8pm in Miller Auditorium. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their best Star Wars attire and to arrive early. Local Star Wars fan groups and costuming organizations will be present and available for photos and conversation. Tickets are going quickly and the public is encouraged to reserve their seats now for best pricing and availability and to avoid potentially long will call lines at the concert. Miller Auditorium's third floor balcony has been opened up for both the Thursday and Friday night performances and offers additional $25 seating options for patrons.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Daniel Brier
Daniel Brier is Resident Conductor and Interim Music Director of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra he joined as Assistant Conductor in 2014. In recent seasons, he has guest conducted the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, Adrian Symphony, Whiting Park Festival Orchestra, Andrews Symphony Orchestra and has also cover conducted for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He has also collaborated with a diverse range of artists including Rachel Barton Pine, Bobby McFerrin, and more.

Highlights of Daniel's 2017-18 season include two live movies (Star Wars: A New Hope and A Jungle Book), three performances of The Nutcracker, and his Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Symphonic Series debut featuring Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" and collaborations with violinist Jennifer Frautschi and Pulitzer Prize winning composer George Walker.

An ardent advocate for contemporary music, Daniel collaborated with the studios of Michael Daugherty and Bright Sheng to premiere works by Peter Shin, Zac Lavender, Jon Boggs, and Nate May. In addition to his support of emerging composers, Daniel has recently conducted works written by contemporary masters including George Walker, Jennifer Higdon, John Adams, Mason Bates, Jessie Montgomery, and more. In 2016, he commissioned and conducted the world premiere of Daniel Capelletti's The Night Before Christmas, with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

Previously, Daniel was Music Director of the Spectrum Orchestra, Assistant Conductor for the Lexington Philharmonic, and conductor of the University of Michigan Orpheus Singers. In 2010, he was awarded a prize for his "exceptional conducting" during the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic's International Conducting Competition. Later, in 2012, Daniel received an invitation to study privately with John Nelson at the Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Mr. Brier has conducted in masterclasses with Giancarlo Guerrero, Hugh Wolff, Jorma Panula, Alexander Polishchuk, Victor Yampolsky, Carl Topilow, and Ragnar Bohlin.

Daniel Brier received his musical training at the University of Michigan's renowned conducting program earning degrees in orchestral conducting with Kenneth Kiesler and choral conducting with Dr. Jerry Blackstone. While at the University of Michigan, he served as an assistant conductor for the world premiere recording of Milhaud's L'Orestie d'Eschyle conducted by Kenneth Kiesler. Recorded live on Naxos, the album earned a GRAMMY nomination in 2015. He is a recipient of the Julian and Vera McIntosh scholarship for promising young musicians and conductors, the Dr. Charlene Archibeque scholarship for choral conductors, and the Dorothy Greenwald scholarship.
Updated July 2017 *Please disregard all previous materials

CALENDAR LISTING
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra presents Special Event Series Concert:

Star Wars: A New Hope Live in Concert
Thursday, October 12th and Friday, October 13th, 2017 - Miller Auditorium at 8pm
Daniel Brier, Conductor

Join us as we present Star Wars: A New Hope Live in Concert. This concert will feature the full length iconic film on the big screen while your KSO performs the thrilling score by the one and only John Williams.

Tickets: $80-$25
No discounts available.

For tickets, visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com, call the KSO Box Office at (269) 349-7759 or call Miller Auditorium Ticket Office at (269) 387-2300.

Visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com for up-to-date information, details and schedules. Prices, artists, dates, time and program are subject to change without notice.

The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra receives major support from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra also receives generous support from other local, state and national foundations, as well as private and corporate support. For more information, visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com.

ABOUT THE KALAMAZOO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Founded in 1921, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is Southwest Michigan's premier musical organization, providing musical enrichment to over 80,000 adults and youth per year. The third-largest professional orchestra in the state, the KSO has won numerous awards and grants, including the Met Life Award for Arts Access in Underserved Communities, the National Endowment for the Arts for its extensive education programs, and a major Ford Foundation grant to found its innovative Artist-in-Residence program.

The Star Wars -- Film Concert Series is produced under license by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox and Warner/Chappell Music.

STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

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