The New Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving, Sergio Espinosa, conductor, opens its 28th annual “Sundays at the Symphony” season at 3:30 p.m. October 18 with jazz AND classical music from African-American composers. The UTA Jazz Orchestra, Dr. Tim Ishii, director, will join the New Philharmonic on the Irving Art Center’s Carpenter Hall stage.
Duke Ellington’s “Night Creature,” for symphony orchestra and jazz ensemble, is a featured work. Two of Scott Joplin’s famous ragtime tunes, arranged for orchestra, fill out the program, which concludes with William Grant Still’s “Afro-American” symphony—the first such work ever to be performed by a leading American orchestra.
Dr. Espinosa is an associate professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. A specialist in string music education, he has given workshops and presentations throughout the United States, Canada, China and Australia. He also serves as Senior Music Examiner for the International Baccalaureate organization in Wales, United Kingdom.
Dr. Ishii has been Director of Jazz Studies at UT Arlington since 2004. Under his direction, the UTA Jazz Orchestra has performed in Mexico City, Germany, and Hawaii, as well as in the DFW Metroplex and throughout Texas. Ishii is active as a clinician and has conducted high school and college honor bands in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Associate chair of the UTA music department, he is past president of the Texas Jazz Educators Association and music director for the International Jazz-n-Youth Exchange, a joint collaboration between Germany, Texas, and Hawaii.
The New Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving is a community orchestra, consisting of trained musicians who choose to continue to play their instruments while they serve in other professions: teaching, accounting, film-making and others. NPOI has performed for audiences in Irving, Euless, Dallas and throughout the Metroplex.
For ticket information or reservations, call the IAC box office at 972-252-2787, or go to www.IrvingArtsCenter.com.
General admission tickets to NPOI concerts range from $10 to $18. Any unused concert ticket can be applied to a later concert in the series, despite their printed date.
Further information about NPOI, including full program notes for the October 18 concert, can be found on the orchestra’s Web site at www.npoirving.com.
This concert season is supported in part by the City of Irving through the Irving Arts Board.