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Alabama Symphony Orchestra on Tour
Although it was officially founded in 1933, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra's genesis actually came in 1921, when a 52-member volunteer ensemble got together to perform at the Birmingham Music Festival at the Old Jefferson Theater. It was a rocky road going forward, but the group have consistently been thought of as one of the most exciting orchestras in the Southeast.
In 1933 under the baton of Dorsey Whittington, the ensemble gave their first formal concert to the Birmingham Music Club, and later that year consolidated as the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Within a few years, the group had over 80 players and a budget of almost half a million dollars. They even performed with famed composer and pianist Percy Grainger in 1939. Continually growing, the organization started offering public concerts in Avondale Park on Sunday afternoons. The advent of World War II temporarily halted the orchestra's development, but after the war ended, they started up again when the Civic Symphony Association assembled a task force to revitalize an orchestra for the growing city. Changing its name to the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1956, the ensemble finally became a fully professional orchestra, even establishing an official youth orchestra. They continued to expand steadily, offering new kinds of concerts and thriving under the leadership of talented and established conductors. In 1966, the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra received a grant from the Ford Foundation for $600,000 on the condition that the group matched that sum; they did, and quickly.
In 1979, the BSO became the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, starting up a regular subscription series and expanding their audience base. The ASO struggled financially in the ‘80s but managed to stay afloat with help from fundraisers and high-profile concerts: They did a special annual fund concert with esteemed violinist Isaac Stern, they performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and they teamed up with renowned American mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne for a concert at the University of Alabama. They also started a number of new summer series, including Beethoven, Brats and Beer. The orchestra went bankrupt in 1993, and it since has reverted to a volunteer organization. You can catch the Alabama Symphony Orchestra with music director Carlos Izcaray at Samford University Wright Center, UAB's Alys Stephens Center or BJCC Concert Hall in Birmingham, Alabama.
The symphony did a wonderful job to create an experience for all ages. I would recommend it to anyone. I would NOT recommend purchasing the offered parking with Parkwhiz. The lot was a half a mile away, there were no parking attendants, it was not well lit, and next to an empty building. It felt very unsafe.
I eagerly anticipated experiencing "Harry Potter"accompanied by a live orchestral score. However, I found the performance somewhat disappointing due to the apparent absence of a robust percussion section. The lack of percussive elements meant the score failed to deliver the dynamic impact and excitement at key moments that one would expect. The overall sound level was subdued, detracting from the cinematic magic that such a score can evoke. This was my second time attending a Harry Potter event with the ASO, having previously enjoyed a wonderful presentation of "The Sorcerer’s Stone."That earlier experience set a high standard, with the orchestra successfully capturing and amplifying the enchantment of the film. I hope the orchestra can address these issues for future performances. As a dedicated fan, I look forward to a more immersive and thrilling musical experience that aligns with the magic of Harry Potter. Without such improvements, I may reluctantly choose to enjoy future films from the comfort of my home, where my sound system provides a consistently satisfying auditory experience.
We had never attended an Alabama Symphony orchestra event and were absolutely floored at the performance. We love Harry Potter and this was such a fun experience and the music was so seamless with the movie. Absolutely one of our favorite date nights!
I eagerly anticipated experiencing "Harry Potter"accompanied by a live orchestral score. However, I found the performance somewhat disappointing due to the apparent absence of a robust percussion section. The lack of percussive elements meant the score failed to deliver the dynamic impact and excitement at key moments that one would expect. The overall sound level was subdued, detracting from the cinematic magic that such a score can evoke. This was my second time attending a Harry Potter event with the ASO, having previously enjoyed a wonderful presentation of "The Sorcerer’s Stone."That earlier experience set a high standard, with the orchestra successfully capturing and amplifying the enchantment of the film. I hope the orchestra can address these issues for future performances. As a dedicated fan, I look forward to a more immersive and thrilling musical experience that aligns with the magic of Harry Potter. Without such improvements, I may reluctantly choose to enjoy future films from the comfort of my home, where my sound system provides a consistently satisfying auditory experience.
This is the only way to watch the movies! It was my first movie concert and i loved it! I want to see all the movies this way now. Its awesome watching the movies on a big screen again too. It is definitely worth it!
The AL Symphony Orchestra is always great! The HP performance was enchanting and fun! It was a wonderful experience for all ages. So glad to see so many young people there!
Being brought on-stage for Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 was amazing!!
The Music of Pink Floyd at the BJCC concert hall was fantastic. I was very impressed. I’ll definitely be attending future concerts.
Outstanding talent by all!! Vocals by lead, stunning vocal by woman and incredible vocal by pianist. Excellent combination of rock band (electric guitarist, wow!) and symphony (sax player too). Not a bad seat in the house. Will definitely be back!!
We went to this show expecting to just hear ASO. Man, we were surprised! Having vocals with ASO was amazing! We are so glad that we attended this show.
