A Musical Journey Around the World in 80 Minutes
For Immediate Release: February 4th, 2019
Contact:
Nick Kenny, Executive Director
(970) 356-6406 | nick@greeleyphil.org
Greeley, CO – The Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra (GPO), under the direction of Glen Cortese, will present a musical journey around the world at its upcoming Around the World in 80 Minutes concert on Friday, February 15th, at the Union Colony Civic Center (UCCC), 701 10th Ave. Musical selections showcase short pieces from across the globe, from South America to China, and a little of everything in between.
Around the World in 80 Minutes, presented by the John. R.P. and Jane Wheeler Family, will also be presented to over 2500 regional 5th grade students as a part of the GPO’s expanding education initiatives. Young students will experience the sounds of the symphony during these educational programs. Supported by Auto Collision Specialists, the GPO is dedicated to serving our community’s youth.
The GPO’s 108th concert season, sponsored by UCHealth, has kicked off in grand fashion, earning praise for its collaboration with deaf singer/songwriter Mandy Harvey and unique adaptation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, which included audience participation on kazoos. Poinsettia Pops and Christmas Brass achieved record-setting attendance, and the highly anticipated Beauty & the Beast expects sold out crowds. The GPO’s 2018-19 concert season has additional support by Ehrlich Toyota.
A post-concert celebration will take place after the concert on February 15th at Tower 56 Distilling. 15% of proceeds the day of the concert are donated back to the GPO.
About the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra
Founded in 1911, the GPO is the oldest continually operated professional orchestra west of the Mississippi River. The organization is dedicated to providing the highest degree of music and cultural enrichment in Northern Colorado. Education initiatives continue to engage and inspire youth, promoting an interest in classical music. All musicians have auditioned and been contracted by the GPO. Over 70% of the GPO’s orchestra members hold a Master’s Degree or higher, and many have made successful careers performing for the GPO and other professional orchestras throughout the Front Range and beyond.
Concerts feature repertoire spanning hundreds of years, showcasing composers from across the globe. The GPO is invested in the future of classical music and its relevance in its community, presenting annual Fifth Grade concerts, outreach to schools, side-by-side coaching sessions, and a Junior Ambassador program.
About the Music Director
Glen Cortese begins his twelfth season as music director of the Greeley Philharmonic. His recent guest engagements have included the Eugene Opera, Madison Lyric Stage, The Three Tenors Concert in Tirana Albania to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the independence of Kososvo, RTSH Radio Orchestra (Albania) Emerald City Opera, Opera Fort Collins, Wolftrap Opera, The Charleston Symphony, the Sapporo Festival Orchestra, the Slovak Radio Orchestra the Sofia Philharmonic, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the Mexico City Philharmonic, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, the Paducah Symphony Orchestra, the Lafayette Symphony, the Billings Symphony, the Lyric Opera of Cleveland, and the Annapolis Symphony. He was resident con- ductor of the Florida Philharmonic for the 2001–2002 season and completed twelve seasons at the Manhattan School of Music where he was principal conductor from 1988 to 2000. He has appeared as guest conductor both in the United States and abroad with the Symphonies of New Jersey, Florida Philharmonic, Austin, Mexico City Philharmonic, North Carolina, Colorado Springs, Bangor, Meridian, Queens, New Amsterdam, The New Orleans Philharmonic, the International Chamber Orchestra, the Belarus Sate Philharmonic, Sofia Phil- harmonic National Romanian Radio Orchestra, Noorhollands Philharmonisch, Orquesta Sinfonica Carlos Chavez, San Francisco Conservatory, Cleveland Institute, and the Altenburg Landeskappele Orchestra. Mr. Cortese covered as assistant conductor to the New York Philharmonic in 1990–92 for Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, Charles Dutoit, Yuri Temirikanov, Erich Leinsdorf, Zdenek Macal and Cristof Perick. In July of 1993, he was invited by Kurt Masur to guest conduct a reading with the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall.
Single tickets to the 2018-19 concert season are on sale now at the UCCC Box Office, 970.356.5000. More information may be found at www.greeleyphil.org.