FROM THE BOARD ROOM

The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 45th anniversary this season, which is quite an accomplishment and milestone, from its humble beginnings as a way for locals who loved music to be able to perform together, evolving over the years to become the outstanding professional orchestra it is now. In an island community such as ours, producing exceptional classical and pops music is amazing, to say the least. We celebrate our season opener on October 25th with a wonderful program of Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 5 “Emperor” featuring renowned pianist Olga Kern, and Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture”, under the direction of Maestro John Morris Russell, followed by a celebratory reception and dinner at Wexford. I hope you can join us for our 45th anniversary opening concert and gala celebration, as well as the rest of our wonderful upcoming season!

—Edward D Simmons, Chairman of the HHSO Board

FROM THE PODIUM

As you ALL know, we kick off the new season next week with a rollicking tribute to Harry Belafonte for the fall edition of “Symphony Under the Stars” in Bluffton and Lowcountry Celebration Park, and the following weekend is our one-night-only Gala with international piano sensation, Olga Kern. Tell your friends and neighbors, this is such a perfect way to introduce folks to the unique vibe of our orchestra.

To keep everyone up to speed on upcoming concerts, in the next several installments of Overtures I’ll continue to highlight favorite programs from the upcoming season and five reasons why you don’t want to miss them:

Bella Hristova and the Marsalis Violin Concerto: November 15, 16

1. Most everyone knows Wynton Marsalis, the jazz (and classical!) trumpet genius—but most don’t know he’s an incredible composer—the concerto is jazzy, bluesy, blue-grassy and brilliant, and a virtuosic tour-de-force.
2. The concerto was written for his wife, Nicola Benedetti, and besides her, there are only a handful of players with chops enough to nail this piece—one of them is “our own” Bella Hristova.
3. We in the Lowcountry, refer to her as “our own” because she has performed with us so many times over the last decade or so—her first appearance was when she was only XX, performing the XYZ concerto—she also adores cats.
4. Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7 is on the second half of the concert—like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, it is a dramatic journey from “darkness to light” with a finale that does not hold back.
5. I am a jazz nut and a Dvořák freak—this is going to be a joy ride!

Saint-Saëns “Organ Symphony:” January 17, 18

1. Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, the “Organ Symphony” is far and away his most popular symphonic work—it was prominently featured in the Oscar Award winning motion picture, “Babe” (1995).
2. The organ is used rather sparingly in the first three movements, adding color and enhancing orchestral textures, but be ready for its explosive introduction to the last movement—Saint- Saëns literally pulls out all the stops.
3. It’s premier was in London, on a concert that included Saint- Saëns performing Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto (which the HHSO is performing with Olga Kern on our Opening Night Gala), with Arthur Sullivan, of “Gilbert and Sullivan” fame, conducting.
4. The largest pipe on the First Presbyterian Church’s “Austin Organ” is 32 feet long—it is SO low that you don’t just hear it, you FEEL it.
5. In the other works on the program, both the Rameau Overture to Zais, and the Tomasi Trumpet Concerto feature prominent drum solos (Gene Krupa, eat your heart out)…oh yeah, there’s a prominent trumpet solo in the concerto too 😉

Don’t forget to get your Holiday Pops tickets ASAP—this one often sells out, especially with Melinda Doolittle joining us. In the next Overtures Newsletter, I’ll tell you more about Jay Dref’s “POPera” in February and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on Valentine’s Weekend (how romantic) with guest conductor Joseph Young. See you soon!

—John Morris Russell, Music Director

FROM THE COO’S DESK

Our Vibrant New Look

Over the course of 45 seasons, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra has experienced an inspired evolution of growth – beginning as a collection of talented local chamber musicians and becoming the expansive and diverse professional musical arts organization you know it to be today.

This HHSO milestone anniversary is a moment to take a well-earned bow, celebrate the artistic experiences that have shaped this organization, and raise the curtain on what comes next as we open our 45^th celebratory season. For a performing arts organization like ours, this moment also offers a meaningful opportunity to bring our brand into harmony with our coastal community, drawing together visual identity, voice, messaging, and audience experience in ways that honor our legacy while expressing the vitality of its future. Using this celebratory moment to evaluate and consolidate our brand, we amplify what makes HHSO distinctive, deepen our connection with our audiences and community, and step confidently onto the stage of our next chapter.

Informed by an organizational strategic analysis conducted initially by an internal task force and expanded through support of our partner at USCB’s Center for Strategic Planning, HHSO has embarked on a comprehensive rebranding effort.

As is common in review processes, we learned – and heard – distinct and important messages. Two themes from a variety of stakeholders surveyed were the need for a stronger digital presence and unified branding.

In response to those themes, our Marketing team has adopted specific actions. We have reviewed advertising strategies. We have increased social media presence and expanded reciprocal relationships with local arts organizations. We have segmented email communications tailored to specific audiences, and we have made intentional decisions in the overhaul and revamping of the HHSO website. Implementation of our newly enhanced website rolls out as we open our season and continues with real-time response throughout Fall. Look for an invitation to visit the new hhso.org very soon.

Members of our board, staff, HHSO League, and other volunteers all contributed to a comprehensive rebrand effort, uniting the promotional visuals representing each area of HHSO, strengthening the overall brand through a unified look that speaks to our Lowcountry connection.

We thought about messaging, too. Reflecting on the experiences you as the listener have at concerts, we are shifting how we present to you all that we are proud of doing here. Hopefully, when reading about upcoming events, you’ll see your connection through remembering how you were moved when you attended past concerts.

These communication advancements continue to move forward. You can help shape this new path, too. Join us. Be active and use this opportunity to advise on the continued direction of HHSO’s communications. Let us know what’s working. Let us know how we can improve further. Together, we will continue to strengthen and spread HHSO’s mission, Music For Everyone.

— Mario Incorvaia, HHSO Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
mario.incorvaia@hhso.org

With the recent arrival of autumn, we welcome more than cooler weather, colorful fall foliage, and pumpkin spice lattes!  We are most excited to welcome YOU back for our new concert season to enjoy the extraordinary performances we have scheduled for you in the coming months.

Before previewing some of our fall HHIPC events, I wanted to let everyone know about the further competition success of our 2026 First prize-winner, Jueon Lee.  This summer, our phenomenal 15-year-old pianist from South Korea was invited to participate in the highly selective Gina Bachauer and Cleveland International Young Artist Piano Competitions, winning First Prize at Bachauer in Salt Lake City and garnering a third-prize victory in Cleveland.  Congratulations to Jueon, whom we look forward to welcoming back in mid-February to play the ever-popular Chopin Concerto No. 2 with the HHSO on Valentine’s weekend!

We have now finalized the 2026-27 BravoPiano! Recital Series at SoundWaves, with expectations of selling out all three performances once again this season.  For starters, I’m delighted to announce that our opening artist on Friday, October 30, 2026, is one of our most popular recent winners: 2016 First Prize pianist ChangYong Shin.  It’s been a few years since ChangYong’s last visit, and we are eager to welcome him back to SoundWaves to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of his HHIPC victory!  Now enjoying a thriving international career, including three critically acclaimed recordings, he will play for us a stellar program of music by Bach, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Bartok, and Ravel, so please save the date and join us on October 30!

Our following BravoPiano! Recital presentation is our traditional Holiday Jazz concert at SoundWaves on Friday, December 4, and I am thrilled to welcome the remarkable pianist and singer Champian Fulton in a rare solo appearance.  Many of you may be familiar with Champian from her regular sold-out trio shows at the Jazz Corner here on HHI, but you won’t want to miss hearing her play and sing Holiday songs in her unique style in this wonderfully intimate setting.  This December 4 program is sure to sell out, so be sure to get your tickets soon.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to seeing you soon at one of our upcoming concerts!

—Steven Shaiman, Director, Hilton Head International Piano Competition and Education and Community Engagement