Welcome to the 38th season of your Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Lowcountry.
Our 38th season presents a collection of masterworks that appeal to music lovers of all kinds: Beethoven to Bartók. For our many fans, we continue to explore music that is ardent, passionate, and impeccably performed—from Rachmaninoff’s audacious Piano Concerto No. 3 and Prokofiev’s searing Romeo and Juliet, to the utterly charming Mozart Symphony no.39 and the brooding Franck Symphony in D minor. Great Lowcountry traditions include the region’s premiere Holiday celebration, the triumphant return of the International Piano Competition winner Chaeyoung Park, and “Superheroes!” packed with the original Hollywood scores from the latest blockbusters. The pinnacle of the season will be Mendelssohn’s masterpiece “Elijah,” with a chorus of over 100 voices.
Always Informative, Never Formal – Invariably Engaging and Entertaining – The HHSO Inspires.
2019-2020 HHSO SEASON
OPENING NIGHT
Sunday, October 20, 2019 5pm
Monday, October 21, 2019 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Bella Hristova, Violin
STRAUSS Don Juan
BEETHOVEN Romance, Nos. 1 & 2
PROKOFIEV Selections from Romeo and Juliet
RACHMANINOFF & FRANCK
Sunday, November 17, 2019 5pm
Monday, November 18, 2019 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Eric Zuber, Piano
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3
FRANCK Symphony in D minor
A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS
Sunday, December 1, 2019 5pm
Monday, December 2, 2019 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Blake White, Narrator
Geoffrey Cormier, Shadow Puppeteer
Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Effingham County High School Chorus
Hilton Head Dance Theater
A holiday spectacular with John Morris Russell featuring festive holiday favorites with the HHSO Chorus, Hilton Head Dance Theater, and a brilliant new setting of Clement Moore’s classic poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas.
DVOŘÁK & BARTÓK and BEETHOVEN’S 4TH
Sunday, January 12, 2020 5pm
Monday, January 13, 2020 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Chaeyoung Park, Piano
DVOŘÁK Slavonic Dance No. 8
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra
MOZART & SAINT SAËNS and MONTGOMERY’S STARBURST
Sunday, January 26, 2020 5pm
Monday, January 27, 2020 8pm
Kellen Gray, Conductor
Miriam K. Smith, Cello
MOZART Symphony No. 39
MONTGOMERY Starburst
SAINT SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1
SUPERHEROES, ACTION AND ADVENTURE
Sunday, February 9, 2020 5pm
Monday, February 10, 2020 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Francis Tsai, Violin
BRUCH Scottish Fantasy
Brilliant cinematic scores by Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman, John Debney, Patrick Doyle, and John Williams from some of the biggest films of all time, including Batman, Captain America, X-Men, Ironman, Thor, and Superman.
GRIEG & VAUGHAN WILLIAMS and ELGAR’S ENIGMA VARIATIONS
Sunday, February 23, 2020 5pm
Monday, February 24, 2020 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Reid Messich, Oboe
GRIEG Holberg Suite
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Oboe Concerto
ELGAR Enigma Variations
WAGNER & RIMSKY-KORSAKOV and BRAHMS DOUBLE CONCERTO
Sunday, March 22, 2020 5pm
Monday, March 23, 2020 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Randall Goosby, Violin
Sterling Elliott, Cello
BRAHMS Double Concerto
WAGNER Flying Dutchman Overture
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Russian Easter Overture
GRAND FINALE: ELIJAH
Sunday, April 26, 2020 5pm
Monday, April 27, 202 0 8pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Georgia Southern University-Southern Chorale
MENDELSSOHN Elijah
SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS – BLUFFTON
R. E. S. P. E. C. T.
A Tribute to Aretha Franklin
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 6pm
Wednesday, October 2, 2019 6pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Coco Smith, Tamika Lawrence, & Blaine Krauss,Vocals
The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Franklin, was an artist of passion, sophistication, and command. Her timeless recordings are anthems that define soul!
R.E.S.E.R.V.E your seats today!
BLUFFTON COMMUNITY HOLIDAY CONCERT
A Visit From St. Nicholas
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Blake White, Narrator
Geoffrey Cormier, Shadow Puppeteer
Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Effingham County High School Chorus
Hilton Head Dance Theater
Music Director John Morris Russell, the HHSO, and the HHSO Chorus are joined by special guests from the Effingham County Chorus and Hilton Head Dance Theater to present a family friendly, one act, holiday spectacular!
In addition to all of your holiday favorites, this festive evening features a brilliant new setting of Clement Moore’s classic poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas.
SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS – HILTON HEAD
Dream a Little Dream
Tuesday, April 7 – 2020 6pm
Wednesday, April 8 – 2020 6pm
John Morris Russell, Conductor
Kimberly Hawkey, Soprano
A sultry evening of scintillating classics, chanteuse and song revivalist Kimberly Hawkey makes her eagerly awaited return to mix an intoxicating cocktail of Jazz, Americana, and Broadway.
