Michael Johnathon of Woodsongs tv show has always had a fascination with the front porch . . it symbolizes friends, families and neighbors. Johnathon will be sharing that philosophy through his music in a new show of old music on Saturday, October 6 at 7:30 pm at the historic Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre. The Ohio Valley Symphony is partnering with Johnathon in Songs of Rural America.
Michael Johnathon had made a collection of personal songs of love and fleeting embrace, the search for contentment, tenderness . . . and most of all the gift of forgiveness, the precious fuel that makes love last forever. Traditional songs like Shenandoah, Aura Lee, Mountains O’Mourne are paired with newer songs like Don McLean’s Vincent, Paul Anka’s It Doesn’t Matter Anymore and Gershwin’s Summertime. Johnathon includes a number of his own original tunes such as Flowers, Autumn Song, Cars, Winter Song and Front Porch his ode to the joys of sitting on one’s front porch and making music with their friends.
Johnathon chose The Ohio Valley Symphony for his world premiere of Songs of Rural America because of the superlative acoustics of the historic Ariel Opera House that make it the perfect instrument for his folk music. The high level of professional performance standards provided by the Ariel’s resident ensemble, The Ohio Valley Symphony, were another factor. The program will be taped for later broadcast on public television. This is your chance to be a part of the live audience recorded for posterity.
Concertgoers — new or veteran — have a chance to learn more about the music with a pre concert chat by Michael Johnathon in the third-floor Ariel Chamber Theatre that will be live streamed at 6:45 p.m.
Tickets for Michael Johnathon and The Ohio Valley Symphony’s Songs of Rural America are $28 and include the pre concert chat and the post concert reception to meet the artists. Tickets are available on the website at arieloperahouse.org or ohiovalleysymphony.org or at the box office at 428 Second Ave. The Ariel is located at 426 Second Ave. in downtown Gallipolis, Ohio and is an ADA accessible facility.