'Generations of Discovery'

COEUR d’ALENE — As part of our year-long conductor search — our Voyage of Discovery – the Coeur d’Alene Symphony is proud to present the third artistic director candidate, Dr, Pierre-Alain Chevalier. He will be conducting Rossini’s Cenerentola Overture, Brahms Academic Overture, and the Von Koch Saxophone Concerto featuring Whitworth faculty member Chris Parkin. Also on this concert, we will present winning pieces by local young people, special guests the North Idaho Youth Symphony.

The concert series is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday at 2 p.m.

French born conductor Pierre-Alain Chevalier is a captivating performer and dedicated music educator. In July, 2016 he was named a winner of the International Conductors Workshop and Competition in Atlanta, Georgia. He currently lives in Houston, Texas. In addition to his post with the Baytown Symphony Orchestra, Chevalier is Artistic Director and Founder of the Bayou City Symphony and adjunct instructor of music at San Jacinto College, Lone Star College, and Lee College. He has a special connection to the northwest, having graduated from Willamette University in 2006.

Chris Parkin, saxophone soloist has been teaching jazz studies and saxophone at his alma mater, Whitworth University since 2008. The tuneful concerto written by Erland Von Koch 60 years ago focuses on the melody and beautiful timbre of the saxophone.

Our Second Annual Youth Melody Contest winners are Jackson Oswald age 10, Haney Cute grade 6, Marciano Contreras, Emmett Reitman age 9, and Abigail Scoggins age 9, all from the Coeur d’Alene area. Congratulations to all the winners, who submitted their melodies last fall. Whitworth music students, under the instruction of professor Brent Edstrom will orchestrate the melodies for full orchestra – a great collaboration of local talents!

Finally the North Idaho Youth Symphony (under the direction of Michael Harrison) will join us for Video Games Live!, a compilation of popular video game themes. Some of the best compositions of the day are being created for the lucrative gaming industry, these are a “glorious aural paradise”, whether you are a gamer or just love music.

Don’t miss this great concert for the whole family!

Ticket prices are $20 adults, $15 seniors (65+), $10 Youth & Students with identification. Tickets are available from the Symphony Office or online at www.cdasymphony.org