Published: September 18, 2009 10:40 am      

Southern Stars Goes to Broadway & Movies!

The Southern Stars Symphonic Brass (SSSB) kicks off their third season of concerts on Oct. 4 at 3:30 p.m. with the first of a three-concert series in Crossville.    

This first concert by the professional music ensemble of musicians from Eastern and Middle Tennessee will be held in the Fairfield Glade Conference Center on Stonehenge Drive in Fairfield Glade. Seating for will be limited, and SSSB President Dwight Wages expects this concert will be sold out in advance. Therefore, you are encouraged to purchase as soon as possible as this concert is sure to be very popular.

The concert is sponsored by Jeff Hughes of Hughes Real Estate Services.
Music director, Dr. Donald Ryder, who is director of the University of Tennessee "Pride of the Southlands" marching band, has selected music for this concert which will celebrate some of the classic tunes from Broadway and the Big Screen. In addition to showcasing the band's own virtuoso instrumental soloists, there will be two guest vocalists featured. Tina Jenkins is a mezzo-soprano from near Athens, TN, and is an accomplished performer of Broadway musical roles, and is the featured vocalist on the Belle Riverboat cruises on Watts Bar.   Recently, she has performed for the Fairfield Glade Resident Homeowners Association and at the Mirror Lake concerts.   She is looking forward to reprising at this concert the songs made famous by the character Eliza Doolittle in the musical "My Fair Lady."

Joining her will be Steven Boyce, who is an accomplished tenor who is no stranger to the stage when he acquired early experience at the Cumberland County Playhouse. Boyce is from Knoxville and performs with the Knoxville Choral Society as well as recently for a solo concert at Pleasant Hill. He will be singing some of the classic tunes from "My Fair Lady" as well as the selection "Bring Him Home" from the musical "Les Miserables."  Boyce will also be the announcer for this concert, a role he has done in previous seasons.

The SSSB will be featuring an euphonium duet playing the tune "Somewhere Out There," made famous by Linda Ronstadt, from the movie "An American Tail."  Also included in this concert will be: "A Disney Fantasy" which is a medley of songs from Disney movies, "West Side Story" selections, music from the musical "Chicago," and George Gershwin's "Summertime" from the musical "Porgy and Bess." The other two concerts in the Crossville Series will be Jan. 24 to the theme of "Brass Goes Around the World," and April 11 to the theme "Patriotic Portpurri." The later concerts will be at the Stone Memorial High School Auditorium at 3:30 p.m.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at First National Bank of Tennessee locations on Main Street in Crossville and on Peavine Road in Fairfield Glade, and at Cumberland Eye Care on Peavine Road in Fairfield Glade.

Individual concert ticket prices are $17 for adults and $5 for students. Season tickets for the thre concerts are discounted for extra savings, and they are $40 for adults and $13 for students. For questions about the tickets or concerts, call Dwight Wages at 484-6939 or look at the group's Web site, www.southernstarssymphonicbrass.com.