The South Kansas Symphony Orchestra spring concert will be on Sunday, April 26, at 3 p.m., in Richardson Auditorium in the Christy Administration Building.
The concert will feature solo performances by Southwestern College senior Jamie Garrard and sophomore Aaron Duell, winners of the first annual South Kansas Symphony solo competition.
“Very few musicians get to experience performing with an orchestra,” says Daniel Stevens, assistant professor of strings music and the conductor of the South Kansas Symphony.  “In my lifetime, I have only had one opportunity to do so.”
According to Stevens, six students auditioned.  Outside judges were brought in to grade the contestants.  The judges were allowed to choose one winner, multiple winners, or nobody.
“The challenges of playing with an orchestra are many,” says Stevens.  “They must be able to project over the orchestra, they must have a strong presence to get their sound out, and they have to memorize the material.  The winners proved their ability to perform with a full orchestra.”
Garrard is the daughter of Karl and Sue Garrard, Belton, Mo.  She is a vocalist and will perform Dvorak’s “Song to the Moon” from the opera “Rusalka.”
Duell is the son of Roger and Margaret Duell, Salina.  He plays the trombone and will perform the trombone concerto by Rimsky-Korsakov.
“What sets them above the rest is not only their technical ability, but their ability to captivate an audience,” says Stevens.  “They have an energetic stage presence.  They are able to play musically and draw in the audience.”
The symphony and the solo performers will also have a concert Saturday, May 2, at Garden City Community College.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for students with ID.  There is no admission charge for Southwestern College students with ID. For more information about the South Kansas Symphony or the concerts, contact Daniel Stevens at (620) 229-6113.