December 2020 Virtual concert
This concert was aired virtually via Itasca Community Television, aired on KOZY and KAXE. It was also aired as a YouTube Premier. You can find the full concert recording on our YouTube Channel
String Quartet No. 12 in F major, B. 179, op. 96, “American” | Antonin Dvorak
Selections from the Nutcracker for String Quartet | Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Pop Christmas with area strings players
Traditional Christmas Carols with short readings by the Grand Rapids Players
February 15, 2020
Featuring our local musicians including the Itasca Strings Students
We will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven birth by starting our February concert out with Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, op.62.
This concert will feature the exceptional talent of local musicians in a program that moves the spotlight around the sections of the orchestra. Violinist Kristine Arntson will solo in Bizet’s Meditation from Thais. A selection from a Joseph Haydn symphony nicknamed the “Horn Signal” will feature our strong French Horn section. The solo in the Adagio section of Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet will be performed by Jan McKinney. If you didn’t hear enough from the opera Carmen at our November concert, you are in luck. This concert will include Carmen Suite 1.
In this concert selected Itasca Strings students will join us in playing an arrangement of music from the movie Jurassic Park.
2020 Feb Concert Program Notes
November 2, 2019
Featuring soloist Olivia Skaja performing Mendelssohn’s violin concerto
Former Itasca Strings Program student and Deer River native Olivia Skaja will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the orchestra. The orchestra will also perform six selections from Bizet’s great opera Carmen. In this arrangement Carmen Suite No 2 by Guirard, vocal lines are picked up by instrument voices.
The concert will conclude with a medley of military songs in the Armed Force in honor of Air Force veteran Mike Wourms who is retiring from the ISO principal trumpet position after 20 years with the orchestra.
Thank you to our sponsor
Tickets for veterans for this concert are $5 as a token of gratitude for their service.
Simply Three Workshop October 10, 2019
October 30, 2019 Concert with the Concordia Orchestra
Itasca Strings Students will perform with The Concordia Orchestra in Dances in the Canebrakes by Florance Price
2018/2019 School Year
The Artaria Quartet Residency 2019
We are fortunate to once again have the opportunity to participate in a residency with the Artaria Quartet. The Artaria Quartet will work with Itasca Strings Students over a period of three months. At the end of the residency, strings students will play a joint concert with Artaria. This has been a fun experience for the students and an incredible learning experience. We are really looking forward to this year’s residency.
OK Factor Workshop January 2019
In January, the young and creative duet The OK Factor will be playing a concert at the Reif Center. As part of their education program they have offered to hold a workshop that will be open to all Itasca Strings Students.