Bucks County Symphony Completes 54^th Season

The Bucks County Symphony completed their 54^th season in April amid  thunderous applause for Roberto Diaz and his enthralling performance of ”Harold in Italy.”.  Winner of prestigious international awards, Díaz is the President and CEO of the Curtis Institute of Music.  

The Bucks County Symphony (BCS) recently wrapped up a wonderful 2007-2008 season under the able direction of Maestro Gary Fagin.

The season started with a Food and Wine Pairing in September 2007. This very successful fundraising event offered guests the opportunity to enjoy wines perfectly matched with dishes from a variety of local restaurants. The event featured guest speaker Jonathan Newman, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board from 2002-2007, who spoke about trends in today’s wine industry. Mr. Newman was instrumental in making many advances in the wine industry in Pennsylvania including introducing high-end wine and spirit stores.

The first concert of the season was BCS’s annual Fall Concert, a delightful blend of rousing music from the masters. The guest artist was pianist Orion Weiss, who performed Beethoven’s piano concerto number five, “The Emperor.” Weiss has established himself as an extraordinary young talent who exhibits great maturity and depth bolstered by remarkable technical skills. The orchestra also performed the Overture to “The Magic Flute” by Mozart and Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 “The Military.”

BCS’s annual Winter Concert featured soloist Ilya Finkelshteyn, Principal Cellist of the Baltimore Symphony. Mr. Finkelshteyn performed the “Cello Concerto in A minor” by Robert Schumann. Praised by the Washington Post as a “complete master of his instrument,” Mr. Finkelshteyn has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. In addition to the Schumann concerto, the orchestra performed “Hebrides Overture “ by Felix Mendelssohn, and Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 in E- Flat Major.

In March, BCS hosted its annual Pops Concert. The orchestra treated the audience to a program of Broadway favorites highlighted by a performance by Soprano Teri Dale Hansen, star of Broadway, television and opera. Ms. Hansen thrilled the audience with a wide selection of Broadway tunes by Cole Porter, Henry Mancini, Richard Rodgers, and others. The orchestra also played selections from Fiddler on the Roof, Les Patineurs Valse (Skaters Waltz) and the Theme from The Pink Panther.

The final concert of the season was a Spring Concert featuring Tanya Dusevic Witek, a flutist with the Greenwich Symphony, who played Lukas Foss’s Renaissance Concerto. Ms. Witek has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia including the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center.  In addition to the Foss concerto, the orchestra performed Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major, as well as “The Threepenny Opera Suite” by Kurt Weill.

BCS looks forward to another successful season in 2008-2009. A second annual Food and Wine Pairing event will be held in September 2008. The guest speaker will be Eric Asimov, chief wine critic for The New York Times. Mr. Asimov’s freelance work has appeared in Food and Wine, Details and Martha Stewart Living magazines. He is the author of $25 and Under: A Guide to the Best Inexpensive Restaurants in New York. Please visit BCS’s website at for details on other upcoming events.

The Bucks County Symphony will hold their second annual Wine and Food pairing on Sunday September 14, 2008 at Lisa James Otto Properties in Stocton New Jersey. Our Guest Speaker will be Eric Asimov, Chief Wine Critic for the New York Times.

Be sure to save the date and check back here for additional information.

The Bucks County Symphony announces the annual Youth competition to be held on April 19, 2008 at Lenape Middle School in Doylestown PA. 18901.The contestants must not have reached their fifteenth birthday on April 19th and the competition is open to any instrument with the exception of the piano. The deadline for submission of applications is April 15. 

Contestants may apiece of their choice from the standard repertoire and are requested to play from memory if possible. Contestants are required to provide their own accompanist for the audition.

Click Here for the Announcement.

Click here for the Application Form.

Click here for photos from last year's Youth Concert.

On Sunday, February 24, 2008 the Bucks County Symphony performed their winter concert at Central Bucks High School South. The featured soloist was Ilya Finkelshteyn, Principal Cellist with the Baltimore Symphony, playing the " Cello Concerto in A Minor' by Robert Schumann. He was magnificent . The cello practically jumped off the stage with the melodious sounds emanating from it at Ilya's hand. The audience was in awe of his talent and skill.

The orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Gary Fagin, also treated the Audience to Bruckner's Fourth Symphony with its wonderful Brass and the Beautiful Hebrides Overture by Felix Mendelssohn.

Some Photographs from the concert.

Orchestra playing Schumann with the soloist.

Jen Bolcar and Kimberly VanHagen.

Ilya Finkelshteyn taking a Bow.

Photos by Curtis Cowgill

On Sunnday October 21, 2007 The Bucks County Symphony held their annual Youth Concert at Central Bucks South High School. The concert featured Clarinet soloist Sean Bailey performing the "Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra" by Carl Maria von Weber and Maria Venter and Daniel Christensen performed the first movement of the "Concerto for two Violoncellos" by Antonio Vivaldi.

Dancers  from Doylestown Dance Theatre of Pennsylvania performed selections from "Paquita" by Ludwig Minkus.Soloists for Paquita were Rebecca Smith, a ninth grader at Unami Middle School; Taylor Wild, a senior at Mt. St. Joseph Academy; and Desire Guthier, a senior at Central Bucks South.

In addition, the orchestra perfomed dance selections by Copland, Gliere, and Berlioz. The orchestra is under the direction of Maestro Gary Fagin, who is in his sixth season with the Orchestra.

Pictures from the Event:

The Bucks County Symphony held the annual Youth Competition on Saturday April 28, 2007. Sean Bailey, clarinet and the cello duo of Daniel Christensen and Maria Venter were declared the competition winners. These talented musicians will play with the Bucks County Symphony orchestra at the Youth Concert in the fall of 2007. We extend  hearty congratulations to them and we thank all who took the time and effort to prepare for and participate in the event.