Published: September 11, 2009 09:23 am      

Bryan Symphony Orchestra performs Sunday, Sept. 13

It doesn’t get much better than sitting outdoors on a warm summer night in front of a glowing stage where a symphony orchestra is playing gorgeous music — especially if you’re sharing that experience with family and friends, say local music supporters Sam and Diane Glasgow.

With the help of the Glasgows, the Bryan Symphony Orchestra at Tennessee Tech University is giving you the opportunity to do just that in its season-opening performance beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, in Cookeville’s Dogwood Park. The concert is free, and everyone is welcome.

One of Diane Glasgow’s favorite childhood memories is attending symphony concerts with her parents.

“I was lucky,” she said. “I was introduced to symphony music as a child — and if you’re exposed to something like that early on, you always appreciate it. That’s why we thought supporting a free concert was important. We did it so more children could go to performances with their parents, like we did, and watch live symphonic music and come to love it.”

The Glasgows have sponsored the BSO’s outdoor concerts for years — and in more ways than one. In addition to providing financial support for the concerts, Sam Glasgow was instrumental in raising funds to build the performance pavilion itself. And Diane Glasgow develops and coordinates children’s activities for every BSO concert, including the free performance at Dogwood Park.

The evening program includes plenty of rousing music for children — and their parents. In addition to “light” classics, the BSO will perform excerpts from the soundtracks of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

As in years past, the Men of St. Michael’s will be on-hand to sell desserts and drinks beginning at 6:30, when the children’s activities begin as well.

A major facelift to Dogwood Park has been under way for more than a year now, and the differences are immense. Terraced seating in front of the performance pavilion is now complete, and summer programming has been in full swing.

Cultural Arts Superintendent Chad McDonald estimates that the expanded amphitheater area will accommodate an audience of between 2,000 and 3,000. Last year, during the park’s biggest expansion phase, the BSO canceled its September performance there. But the year before, the symphony orchestra attracted a record 1,500 to 2,000 people to Dogwood Park for the event.

Dogwood Park is located behind the Putnam County Library. Parking is available within a block of the park throughout that section of downtown, including parking lots behind the Cookeville Performing Arts Center, on the corner of Broad and Walnut, behind City Hall and more. The parking lot directly behind the Dogwood pavilion will be reserved for handicapped parking. In case of rain, the concert will move to Wattenbarger Auditorium, the concert hall of the Bryan Fine Arts Building on the TTU campus.

BSO season tickets are now on sale. Adult tickets for the five subscription concerts of 2009-2010 are $120; tickets for seniors 65 and up are $115; and tickets for students are $30. Individual tickets are also available: $28 for adults, $24 for seniors 65 and up, and $8 for students. Reserve tickets by calling the symphony box office at (931) 525-2633 or visiting the BSO's Web site at www.bryansymphony.org to download a season ticket reservation form.

The Bryan Symphony Orchestra, a member of the League of American Orchestras, is the only professional symphony in a rural area of Tennessee. Its regular subscription performances begin Sunday, Oct. 11, and take place in Wattenbarger Auditorium, the concert hall of the Bryan Fine Arts Building on the TTU campus.

Additional support for this concert is provided the Cookeville Arts Council.