The Southern Ozarks Community Orchestra will be in concert on Saturday, March 23, at the historic Star Theater in Willow Springs.
The program, “A Musical Buffet,” will feature a smorgasbord of musical delights, organizers said. Several Texas County residents participate.
Tickets are available at the door and are priced at $10. Children 5 and under are free. Patrons will enjoy everything from homespun numbers like “Cumberland Cross” and Leroy Anderson’s “Irish Suite” to Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” and Mozart’s “Kine Kleine Nachtmusik.”
Those attending will hear “James Bond Medley,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Forrest Gump Suite” and “The Empire Strikes Back Medley.”
For some spice, those attending will love “Capriccio Espagnol” and then mellow out with Mercer’s “Moon River.”
The full orchestra experience includes violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, piccolo, trombone, tuba, trumpet, piano and percussion. Orchestra members are of all ages from Houston, West Plains, Cabool, Willow Springs, Summersville, Ava, Eminence and Mountain View. Jodie Forbes has served as the conductor/director of the Southern Ozarks Community Orchestra since 2017. She is a retired elementary music teacher who taught in public schools for more than 30 years. She graduated with honors and a bachelor’s of music in education from the Dana School of Music, part of the Youngstown State University in Ohio. Associate conductor, Sam Van Dielen, will conduct at this concert. He is the band director at Houston school system. Also participating are Zane Johnson, band director at Mountain View; Michael Charlton, music teacher at Summersville; and Trevor Turner, band director at Willow Springs.
The Southern Ozarks Community Orchestra is sponsored by the Willow Springs Arts Council and has served the area since 2009. For more information on SOCO and the Arts Council, visit its website at www.willowspringsartscouncil.org.