Rochester, NY – The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) are teaming up to create Blast Off to Space, a special OrKIDStra concert that takes place Sunday, November 15 at 2 p.m. at the Performance Hall at Hochstein. Guest conductor Matthew Kraemer leads the RPO in a celebration of 50 years of space exploration with NASA imagery provided by promotional partner RMSC, and out-of-this-world music including Holst’s The Planets and selections from Apollo 13, Star Wars, Star Trek, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Pre-concert, space-themed activities for kids begin at 1 p.m.
“We couldn’t be more excited to work with the RMSC to combine music and science and create a more engaging concert experience for kids and families,” says RPO Education Director Barbara Brown.
Images from the RMSC’s Strasenburgh Planetarium collection were carefully compiled by its director, Steve Fentress, specifically to complement the orchestra’s musical selections.
“At the Planetarium, we understand the powerful impact that astronomical and space-related pictures can have when suitably combined with music. Our current show, The Earliest Light, features a nine-minute montage of galaxy images joined with the Adagio movement from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony,” explains Fentress. “However, there is nothing like hearing real musicians, live and in person, as you’ll be able to do at this concert.”
TICKETS are $16/$10 children, and may be purchased in person at the Eastman Theatre Box Office (433 East Main Street), at all Wegmans That’s T.H.E. Ticket! locations, and at Hochstein one hour before curtain; by phone at (585) 454-2100; or online at rpo.org.
The RPO’s 93rd season is presented by Dawn and Jacques Lipson. The 2015/16 Philharmonics Series is sponsored by M&T Bank; the 2015/16 Pops Series is sponsored by Canandaigua National Bank & Trust and Fibertech Networks. RPO performances are also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Additional sponsors include Monroe County; the City of Rochester; the Alfred Davis and Brunhilde Knapp Artists Performance Fund; the Mozart Performance Fund: Sarah D. Atkinson, M.D. and Steven Hess; City Newspaper; Kids Out and About.com; WARM 101.3; the Katherine T. and Jon L. Schumacher Orchestra Musician Soloist Fund.
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra has been committed to enriching and inspiring our community through the art of music since its founding in 1922. The RPO presents approximately 160 concerts and broadcasts a year, serving up to 170,000 people through ticketed events, education and community engagement activities, and concerts in schools and community centers throughout the region. Recently appointed 12th Music Director Ward Stare joins the ranks of former notable RPO music directors, including Eugene Goossens, José Iturbi, Erich Leinsdorf, David Zinman and Conductor Laureate Christopher Seaman. Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik has earned a national reputation for excellence in pops programming during his 22-year tenure with the RPO. With Michael Butterman as Principal Conductor for Education and Community Engagement (The Louise and Henry Epstein Family Chair) – the first endowed position of its kind in the country – the RPO reaches more than 12,000 children through its specific programs for school-aged children.
Rochester Museum & Science Center includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives major funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top three most visited attractions serving children and families. For more information about RMSC, visit www.rmsc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
Media please note: High-resolution space images are available, and interviews as well as photo and footage opportunities can be arranged.
