Symphony Masquerade to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness with Mountain View Hospital
The festive opening concert of the Idaho Falls Symphony’s 70th Season features an important annual tradition: partnering with Mountain View Hospital to raise awareness of breast cancer and to promote the critical importance of regular mammograms. This year’s Breast Cancer Awareness concert will be an energetic “Masquerade” on Saturday, October 19th, featuring the music of Jacques Offenbach, Franz von Suppe, Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain and the delightful Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens. The two piano soloists featured in the quirky, zoological double concerto are Stephen Thomas and Michael McQuay, both members of the piano faculty at BYU-Idaho. Narration written by Ogden Nash will be performed along with the piece by Mick Ohman.
Patrons are strongly encouraged to dress up Masquerade-style! Don a mask or, if you’re feeling a little more playful, choose an animal and let your wild side show. “Our opening concert of this celebratory season will be a true jubilee! Come party with us!” says Thomas Heuser, music director of the Idaho Falls Symphony, who recently signed a three-year contract extending his leadership of the orchestra to 2022. “Our exuberant masquerade promises to bring out the fun and fancy side of our audience and musicians. Who says adults can’t wear costumes to the Symphony?!”
Pianist Stephen Thomas is currently the Director of Keyboard Studies and Associate Dean in the College of Performing and Visual Arts at Brigham Young University - Idaho. He has performed extensively, adjudicates piano competitions and coaches masterclasses, and serves as the acting principal pianist of the Idaho Falls Symphony. The first-generation American son of Brazilian immigrants, Michael Mardson McQuay is a native of Provo, Utah, although his performance career and music education have taken him to multiple locations around the globe. Michael is currently Professor of Piano at Brigham Young University - Idaho where he is an active pedagogue and performer. For more information about the soloists, please visit the Symphony website at ifsymphony.org.
The festivities will be held at the Colonial Theater in downtown Idaho Falls on Saturday, October 19th, 2019. During the day, families with children will be invited to a separate Family Concert featuring the Carnival of the Animals, a costume contest, and an Instrument Petting Zoo. Later in the evening, Dr. Heuser will offer a pre-concert lecture at 6:30pm, followed by the Masquerade concert at 7:30pm, which includes a presentation by Mountain View Hospital with moving testimonials by local survivors of breast cancer.
Tickets start at $15 for adults and $7.50 for students/children, and can be purchased online at ifsymphony.org (please note that $2.50/ticket card processing fees will apply). You can also get tickets by visiting the IF Symphony office, located at 440 N. Capital Ave. Ste B. Office hours are 11am-4pm, Monday-Friday. Find complete information about all upcoming events at ifsymphony.org or your favorite social media platform.
