The South Kansas Symphony will present its first concert of the season Thursday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the newly-renovated Richardson Performing Arts Center on the Southwestern College campus.

The evening will open with Aaron Copland’s stirring “Fanfare for the Common Man,” which has been used in numerous movies, commercials, and events, and will close with Modest Mussorgsky’s famed “Pictures at an Exhibition,” a piece with many small movements inspired by the paintings of Mussorgsky’s friend.

For this concert, the symphony will welcome Ponca City, Okla., conductor Dan Larson, a veteran educator widely recognized for excellence.

“It was a brainstorm of our advisory board to invite several area conductors to come to campus and work with the symphony on a piece for one concert,” says executive director and conductor Daniel Stevens. “Dan’s orchestras have consistently won awards and he has been honored at the state and national levels for his skill as a music educator. We are fortunate to have him join us to open our season.”

Larson will conduct “Dance of the Tumblers” from “Snow Maiden” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Other selections included in the performance are “The Polovtsian Dances” from “Prince Igor” by Alexander Borodin and “A Mighty Fortress” by Vaclav Nelhybel.

Thursday’s performance is underwritten by Thane and Vicky Rockhill. It will take place in the recently dedicated Richardson Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $8 for preferred seating and $6 for general admission. Season tickets are available to all symphony concerts starting at $36. For more information or tickets, call Rose Hanna at (620) 229-6272.