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Associated Press
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Lowell Chamber Orchestra Announces Bold and Diverse Seventh Season
LOWELL, Mass., May 2, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Lowell Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is thrilled to announce its seventh season, promising an ambitious lineup of performances that continue to challenge the conventional boundaries of classical music. Building on its reputation for innovation, accessibility, and artistic excellence, LCO's 2025–2026 season will spotlight groundbreaking works, emerging and established composers, and an unwavering commitment to community engagement — all presented free of charge. The season is once again organized in collaboration with 'A World of Music' Concert Series at Middlesex Community College, where LCO is the college's resident orchestra. The season, titled 'New Perspectives,' reflects LCO's mission to bring underrepresented voices and contemporary compositions to the forefront, alongside reinvigorated interpretations of the classical canon. The season opens with 'Classical Magic' on October 12, featuring Boccherini's evocative 'La casa del diavolo,' Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2 with soloist William Suh—the winner of the 2025 LCO International Young Artist Competition—and Mozart's iconic Symphony No. 40. In December, audiences will experience 'String Virtuosity', a program designed to showcase the technical brilliance of the string section through music by Corelli, Hindemith – featuring violist Jessica Cooper – a world premiere by Nancy Skolos, and J.S. Bach. The season continues in February with a powerful and wide-ranging concert highlighting music from the African-American diaspora, embracing traditions that span classical, gospel, jazz, and beyond. This concert is done in collaboration with Berklee School of Music. April's performance, 'Monumental Sounds', juxtaposes the elegance of Martines' overture to 'Isacco', the passion of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 performed by acclaimed pianist Chi-Chen Wu, and the dynamism of Beethoven's Symphony No. 8. This program also includes the US premiere of 'Resiliens', a work by composer Felipe Oliveira, selected as the winner of LCO's 2025 International Call-for-Scores. The season concludes in June 2026 with the annual Pride Month and a renewed celebration of LGBTQ artistry in 'Pride: A Rainbow of Artistry.' 'Each season is an opportunity to explore music that speaks to the present moment,' says LCO Music Director Orlando Cela. 'This year, we're amplifying voices that deserve to be heard and crafting programs that ask audiences to listen differently — to reconsider what classical music can be.' With performances that span genres, centuries, and cultures, the Lowell Chamber Orchestra continues to lead as a champion of inclusivity in classical music. By spotlighting living composers, emerging artists, and historically overlooked figures, the orchestra invites audiences to reconsider what classical music is—and what it can become. All concerts remain free and open to the public, reinforcing LCO's commitment to accessibility and cultural enrichment for the Greater Lowell community. VIDEO (YouTube): For media inquiries, interviews, or press passes, please contact: Antonio Mak Press Contact, Lowell Chamber Orchestra Email: [email protected] Follow us on social media: Instagram: @lowellchamberorchestra YouTube: Facebook: NEWS SOURCE: Lowell Chamber Orchestra Keywords: Music and Recording, Lowell Chamber Orchestra, classical music, A World of Music Concert Series at Middlesex Community College, LOWELL, Mass. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Lowell Chamber Orchestra) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P125939 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Associated Press
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
The Lowell Chamber Orchestra announces winners of its fourth international young artist competition
- As part of LCO's mission to increase the cultural footprint of the city of Lowell, LCO runs two competitions to help promote the careers of young talent - LOWELL, Mass., April 21, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Lowell Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is proud to announce the winners of its fourth international young artist competition. Cellist William Suh won first prize, soprano Emma Robertson won second prize, and oboist Anqi Zhou won third prize. As part of his winning, Suh will be performing with LCO during next season. Six judges chose three winners from among 194 entries from all over the world. 'The level of playing is astounding,' says Music Director Orlando Cela. 'We the judges had a very difficult time deciding who should receive which prize. Every contestant is a testament that classical music is alive and well, and its future secure.' As part of LCO's mission to increase the cultural footprint of the city of Lowell, LCO runs two competitions – one for composers and one for performers – to bring the best world talent to Lowell, and help promote the careers of young talent. All LCO concerts are free to attend, bringing down the socio-economic barriers to access prime quality classical music concerts. On Saturday, April 26, 2025, audiences will have a chance to hear last year's young artist competition winner – violist Jeremy Kienbaum, who will be performing romances by Max Bruch and Adolphus Hailstork. Other works in the program include the beloved 'Pulcinella' by Igor Stravinsky, and the American premiere of 'Till Voices Wake Us,' by Simon Andrews (winner of LCO's 2024 Call-for-Scores). For more information, visit VIDEO (YouTube): Nikki Huang, winner of the LCO 2023 International Young Artist Competition, performs Emmanuel Séjourné's Marimba Concerto (2015 version). NEWS SOURCE: Lowell Chamber Orchestra Keywords: Music and Recording, The Lowell Chamber Orchestra LCO, music, classical music, opera, orchestra, performing arts, international young artist competition, Anqi Zhou, William Suh, Emma Robertson, LOWELL, Mass. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Lowell Chamber Orchestra) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P125632 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Associated Press
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Lowell Chamber Orchestra announces winner of its International Call-for-Scores
LOWELL, Mass., March 10, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Lowell Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is pleased to introduce Helder Alves de Oliveira the winner of its 2025 International Call-for-Scores. His score 'Resiliens' was chosen following a completely anonymous process of evaluating 138 entries from all over the world based on merits of originality, orchestration, structure, and other compositional techniques. His work will be performed during LCO's 2025-2026 season, and Mr. Oliveira will receive a monetary prize. Mr. Oliveira is a Brazilian composer, pianist and music educator, holds a PhD in Music Composition from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He was a 2019–20 Fulbright Visiting Researcher at LSU, and has received several composition awards in Brazil, USA, Germany, Portugal, Canada, Ireland and Denmark. 'Congratulations to Helder, and everyone who participated,' says LCO's Music Director Orlando Cela. 'We are very pleased with the result and look forward to performing this fabulous work next season.' Cela continues, 'We are particularly glad with the completely anonymous process and rotating judges, which allows for absolute fairness. […] This is our way to have a process in which there is complete equality fostering diversity by including composers of all ages, genders, and races. Despite the current federal administration's racists views, we still believe DEI is a fundamental part of every arts organization.' The Lowell Chamber Orchestra is Lowell's first and only professional orchestra. We provide the area with an ensemble that presents music at a very high level, of all styles and time periods, entirely free to the general population. Now in its sixth season, the LCO has presented concerts that encompass established orchestral repertoire as well as multimedia works, stage works, lecture-presentations, and chamber music. As part of its mission of promoting, preserving and educating, the repertoire include works from the Baroque, to current commissions. The LCO has presented over a dozen local and world premieres by Anna Clyne, Brian Raphael Nabors, José Luis Elizondo, Anthony R. Green, Bongani Ndodana-Breen, Jeremy Gill, and many others. RICHARD AND NANCY DONAHUE FAMILY ACADEMIC ARTS CENTER, 240 CENTRAL STREET, LOWELL, MA 01851 MEDIA CONTACT: Antonio Mak [email protected] NEWS SOURCE: Lowell Chamber Orchestra Keywords: Music and Recording, International Call-for-Scores, The Lowell Chamber Orchestra LCO, Helder Alves de Oliveira, Music Director Orlando Cela, LOWELL, Mass. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Lowell Chamber Orchestra) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P124637 APNF0325A
