By Staff
Upcoming season offering variety, reciprocal concerts
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
Music lovers, it’s almost time again to enjoy the musical offerings provided by the Beaufort County concert series.
The Beaufort County Concert Association is conducting its 32nd-annual membership drive for its 2008-2009 season, with tickets on sale until May 18.
Memberships for the season are $35 for adults, $15 for students and $75 for families. Memberships include admission to all five performances during the season.
Memberships are going fast, according to Sutorius.
The 2008-2009 season offers varied and unique performances, according to Sutorius.
Memberships also include opportunities to see reciprocal concerts in New Bern and Goldsboro.
Special contributing memberships are also offered, with all donations going to the BCCA. This season’s benefactors, which receive 10 tickets for $400, are Lee’s Chevrolet, PCS Phosphate and First South Bank. Other contributing memberships offered include sponsor-level and donor-level memberships. The BCCA has about 25 donors, so far, this season.
The concert series would not be possible without the funds generated by seasonal memberships.
Sutorius believes the concert series is a good opportunity for families to socialize together.
All of the concerts are held at Washington High School’s Performing Arts Center.
BCCA wants more families to come to the concerts this year than in years past, according to Sutorius.
Several performances featured in this year’s concert series should appeal to children and families, according to Sutorius.
The season opens on Sept. 16 with “American Jukebox,” a two-hour show featuring a six-piece band and a cast of six singers and dancers. The show takes audiences through different eras and genres of American music, including Motown, disco, country, rockabilly and blues.
The next two scheduled performances during the 2008-2009 season are solo acts.
Pavlo, a composer, guitarist and singer specializing in Mediterranean music, is scheduled to perform Oct. 20. Pavlo will be joined by four musicians, and they will play music with Flamenco and Latin influences.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Dale Gonyea, a comic-musician who plays the piano. Gonyea, scheduled to appear Nov. 11, has written songs for Disney’s “Aladdin.”
The Mantini Sisters will be present “The Ladies of Broadway” on Jan. 13, 2009. The show features show-business stories by the three sisters.
Rounding out the 2008-2009 season is the Side Street Strutters, a Big-Band act. The band will perform April 6, 2009.
Sutorius is excited about the lineup.