After a two-year search, the Saratoga Orchestra has chosen Anna Edwards as its new conductor and music director for the 2014-2015 season entitled “Soaring to New Adventures.”
The orchestra advisory committee, board of directors and community took part in the selection process. The concert season will begin in early November.
Edwards has been a part of the Seattle music community for 20 years and is the founder and music director of the Seattle Collaborative Orchestra.
In addition, Edwards is a member of the Auburn Symphony and works as a freelance violinist, playing with groups such as the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Northwest Chamber Orchestra and Northwest Sinfonietta.
During Saratoga Orchestra’s upcoming season, concerts will be held in Oak Harbor, Langley and Coupeville beginning with “Curtains Up” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at South Whidbey High School. The performance will include Rossini’s Overture to “Barber of Seville,” Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto #1, Op. 25 featuring pianist Mark Salman as soloist—and Beethoven’s Symphony #7, Op. 92.
At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, a chamber music concert entitled “Appalachian Spring for a Whidbey Winter” will be offered at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. This performance will be repeated at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18 at the Coupeville Nordic Hall. This concert will feature Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring for 13 Instruments” and a new work by composer Tim Huling whose compositions have been played on PBS’ “Inside Passage” and the 2008 Beijing Olympics featuring Jennifer Nelson on clarinet and John Carrington on harp.
The season continues in March with “Fairy Tales and Ancient Legends,” an “epic undertaking” including the presentation of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” and solos by Karl Olsen, baritone, Lisa Berritella, soprano and Voltaire Verzosa, countertenor. The program will feature a choir of Whidbey community members and students and will be held at 7 p.m. March 21 at Oak Harbor High School and repeated at 2:30 p.m. March 22 at South Whidbey High School.
At 7 p.m. on May 9, the orchestra’s annual Intermezzo VI Gala Concert will take place at South Whidbey High School, with guest artist Darol Anger who is a bluegrass and jazz fiddler and original member of the David Grisman Quintet and Turtle Island Spring Quarter.
