JACKSON, Mich. — Jackson Symphony Orchestra will be offering free tickets and discounts in an effort to “pack the house” to celebrate two female composers.
The Saturday, the Symphonie Fantastique concert at Jackson College’s Potter Center will include the music of two female composers, Audrey Kelly and Fernande Decruck.
Jackson Symphony Orchestra Director of Business and Operations Steven Trosin said female composers “historically have been overlooked and underrepresented” in the world of classical music.
“The Jackson Symphony Orechestra will do its part to fill that unfortunate gap by featuring the work of female composers on stage,” he said. “In the meantime, the JSO is doing outreach to women’s groups in the community in an attempt to pack the house.”
Officials said Orchestra supporters have been reaching out to women’s groups to offer free and half-priced tickets “in hopes of filling the Potter Center for the show.”
Georgia Fojtasek says trying to pack the Potter Center it will benefit Jackson and the symphony.
“Jackson can be overlooked and undervalued, particularly in arts and culture,” she said. “Telling our story in the region is challenging because we’re surrounded by talent in Ann Arbor and Lansing. Yet, our symphony attracts talented musicians from those same communities, and now we’ve attracted an Ann Arbor composer whose music is going to be world premiered here. It’s a great opportunity for those who don’t normally attend JSO events to give the symphony a try.”
Kelley is a contemporary classical composer, teacher and classical arts concert coordinator from Ann Arbor The orchestra will feature her work called “Speakeasy” which was written to honor the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. That amendment gave women the right to vote.
Decruck was a French composer born in 1896.
Orchestra Music Director Matthew Aubin said part of this concert will show a theme of being underrepresented.
“In Audrey Kelley’s case, the underrepresentation comes from voting. For Decruck, this piece was premiered in the 1940s by a French harpist and to our knowledge hasn’t been performed since,” he said.
The concert was scheduled for 2020 which was the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment but was postponed due to COVID-19.
The second half of the concert showcases Hector Berlioz’s "Symphonie Fantastique."
Tickets range from $20 to $35. Women’s groups can contact the Orchestra at info@jacksonsymphony.org to get the free and half-priced tickets.
The concert starts at 7:30.
“But, there is a free interactive lecture prior to the concert at 6:30 p.m.,” Trosin said.
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