Symphony featuring special performances Fri and Sat

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra will be joined by local pianist Rich Ridenour and his son, trumpeter Brandon Ridenour, to perform a variety of music on Friday and Saturday nights.

The program is called “I Love a Piano II,” which features music mostly arranged by the Ridenours themselves.

“It’s a good chance to see the orchestra playing everything that it does in its concerts,” Ridenour tells WOKV.

The concert features Gershwin and Beethoven all the way to Billy Joel and Elton John.

Ridenour says playing for the home crowd is always the hardest because you have to work hard and impress them.

“You wanna be loved in your community,” he says.

Branden Ridenour, a member of renowned Canadian Brass, tours across the country for a living.

“Playing and being down here in Jacksonville is certainly lower key,” he says.  “Not to mention I naturally feel more relaxed just because of the climate.”

Rich Ridenour mentors young music students in the Jacksonville-area public schools.  In 2011, he introduced “City Keys” to the city, helping to paint and locate six upright pianos into the downtown area for everyone to play.

“These pianos are a symbol that music is for everyone,” Ridenour says.  He’ll be playing one of the pianos during the “I Love a Piano II” for a ragtime piece.

Event information:

Friday, January 18, 2013 at 11 a.m. Part of the Mayo Clinic Coffee Series

Friday & Saturday, January 18 & 19, 2013 at 8 p.m. Part of the Fidelity National Financial Pops Series

Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra - I Love a Piano II

Featuring:

Rich Ridenour, piano

Brandon Ridenour, trumpet

Conducted by Stuart Chafetz

PROGRAM:

Strike Up the Band          GERSHWIN, arr. Green & Brown

Finale from Concerto in F             GERSHWIN

Pathetique                                         BEETHOVEN, arr. B. Ridenour

Linus and Lucy                   Guaraldi, arr. R. Ridenour

Adios Nonino                     PIAZZOLLA, arr. R. Ridenour

Minute Waltz                     CHOPIN, arr. R. Ridenour

Carnival of Venice            DEL STAIGERS, arr. R. Ridenour

The Entertainer                                JOPLIN, ed. Schuller

Nickel in the Slot              CONFREY, arr. R. Ridenour

Funeral For a Friend        JOHN, arr. R. Ridenour

Piano Man                                          JOEL

Basin Street Blues            WILLIAMS, arr. B. Ridenour

Simple Gifts                        JOSEPH, arr. R. Ridenour

Rhapsody in Blue             GERSHWIN

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra can be reached at 904-354-5547 or by logging on to www.JaxSymphony.org

For more information on City Keys, go to www.CityKeys.org