PEORIA/MACKINAW -- The Heartland Festival Orchestra's first season ended with a bang -- rolling thunder in both the music and in nature. Very appropriate!
The June 13 concert, at the lovely Mackinaw Valley Winery, in an open air, roofed pavilion, presented Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Piazzolla's Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
Both pieces feature thunder and bird calls to depict the seasons.So while real thunder rumbled, and real cardinals, robins and other birds sang furiously (inspired by the music?), the orchestra with soloist Lara St. John played beautifully.
Trees and vineyards just outside, flanked by green lawns and a lake transported the audience. Were we in California?
We sipped wine as the music played. Artistic director David Commanday complemented the audience as "pioneers" who helped make this first season a success.
And what a success! Ballet, drama and music well played throughout the year, topped off by the best event of all at the winery.
Tickets are on sale for the second season (see the website, linked above), and the program announced a July 18 Prairie Serenade at Wildlife Prairie State Park with the HFO winds -- another innovative event not to be missed.
HFO was born out of the anger of many classical music fans when the Peoria Symphony Orchestra early in 2009 fired Commanday, its artistic director of a decade. His fans didn't want Commanday to leave the area. With him and many volunteers the HFO was developed.
I said then that the HFO's innovative programs may be the ultimate future of classical music. After a fabulous first season, that's more true now than a year ago.
Commanday and the musicians have succeeded in creating a classical music experience for the audience, not just a concert. Priceless!-- Elaine Hopkins
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