Veterans Day is approaching and The Ohio Valley Symphony will present a Salute to Our Veterans on Saturday, November 9 at 7:30 pm at the historic Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in downtown Gallipolis, Ohio. Veterans receive a discount on tickets. Returning to the podium is Maestro Tim Berens and joining his is Broadway star Mike Eldred The Ohio State VFW Honor Guard Post 4464 commanded by Bill Mangus will be posting the colors.
Mike Eldred is one of North America’s most in-demand and loved tenors, thrilling audiences in concert halls, on Broadway and on recordings, ratio and television. He appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables as Jean Valjean and in the original cast of the Tony-nominated The Civil War. He has recorded numerous albums, the latest of which is “Come Love Me Again” the music of John Denver.
Berens is the principal pops arranger for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as well as principal guitarist. For this concert he has written three new arrangements, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Johnny (based on When Johnny comes Marching Home) and Tim will take out his guitar to join with Mike on Bring Him Home from Les Miserables. Beren’s original composition, Messages From Mt. Rushmore, was inspired by a visit there making Berens wonder “What would they have to say to us today?” Tim and Louis Berens poured through books sorting through quotes from all the presidents carved into the stone and incorporated them into the music.
All the service men and women in the audience will be recognize with Armed Forces Salute, a compilation of all the songs for each branch of the services. Arranger Bob Lowden also weaves in other patriotic songs like America the Beautiful, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Columbia the Gem of the Ocean and more.
The OVS is devoted to bringing great music played by great artists to the Ohio Valley – and making orchestral music easy to love. The doors are open and the public is welcome to attend this concert’s rehearsal for free 1-4 p.m. Saturday. Open rehearsals are a wonderful way for young and old alike to listen to live symphonic music when schedules and timing do not allow them to attend concerts. They also offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what goes into preparing an orchestral performance.
Concertgoers — new or veteran — have another chance to learn more about the music with a free pre-concert chat in the third-floor Ariel Chamber Theatre, the pre-concert talks are interactive and informal and begin at 6:45 p.m.
Tickets for The Ohio Valley Symphony’s concerts are $24 for adults, $22 seniors and $12 for students and include the pre-concert chat at 6:45 pm, the 7:30 pm concert and the reception to meet the artists which immediately follows the concert. Tickets are available on the website at arieloperahouse.org or ohiovalleysymphony.org or at the box office. Funding for The Ohio Valley Symphony is provided in part by the Ann Carson Dater Endowment. The Ariel Opera House is located at 426 Second Ave. in downtown Gallipolis, Ohio and is an ADA accessible facility.