The College of Charleston Orchestra will perform its annual winter concert on Monday, December 1 at the Sottile Theatre, 44 George St., at 7:30 p.m. Yuriy Bekker will conduct the Orchestra, featuring Antonio Marti at the trumpet. The program will include music by Benedetto Marcello, Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Housed within the College of Charleston School of the Arts, The College of Charleston Orchestra was established at the request of President Harry Lightsey in 1986. Originally the “College Community Orchestra,” the orchestra has evolved and continues to gain credibility and critical acclaim in the Charleston region. The goal of this program is to consistently produce high quality performances at a professional level. It performs twice a year at the Sottile Theatre.
The orchestra comprises students from the College and community members. It is conducted by Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, Yuriy Bekker. Starting in 2010, Bekker has conducted the Orchestra for the last four consecutive seasons, and has played a major role in enhancing its professional quality. Special opportunities that have allowed the orchestra to thrive are masterclasses led by musicians from the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as well as world-renowned conductors, including Darko Butorac, JoAnn Falletta, Morihiko Nakahara and Herbert Greenberg.
The orchestra continues to take on new endeavors. Its most recent accomplishment includes a recording with the Southeastern International Film Festival.
The College of Charleston Orchestra provides an opportunity for student musicians to perform high-quality performances for their peers and the Charleston community. Proceeds from ticket sales support existing and future educational opportunities for the College’s orchestra program.