The Delaware Symphony Orchestra Announces 118th Season of Bold New Artists & Repertoire

A sold-out audience at DSO's March 2023 concert.
Photo by Joe del Tufo.

The content of this post comes from a Delaware Symphony Orchestra press release...

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is proud to announce its 118th season, featuring a captivating lineup of performances. The season will include five Classics Series concerts, three Chamber Series concerts, a return to the Hotel du Pont's Gold Ballroom, and two concerts in Sussex County.

Classics Series: The Classics Series is the DSO’s full-orchestra concert experience with featured guest artists performed at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington and Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes.

Kicking off the series on Friday, October 13, 2023, is Sky, Sea, and Rhapsody. Under the leadership of Music Director Laureate David Amado, the DSO will perform Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, featuring acclaimed guest pianist Stewart Goodyear as well as Claude Debussy's timeless masterpiece, La Mer.

In the next Classics concert, ¡Música Bravo!, guest conductor Michelle Di Russo and guitarist João Luiz will take audiences on a vibrant journey through Hispanic and Latin-inspired works by Arturo Márquez, Alberto Ginastera, Manuel de Falla, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The program will be performed in both Wilmington and Lewes, Delaware, on November 10 and 12, 2023.

On January 19, 2024, the New Year commences with From Home to Rome, directed by guest conductor André Raphel and featuring the virtuosic talents of violinist Jennifer Frautschi performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. In addition, this concert will feature West Chester native Samuel Barber's Symphony in One Movement and Ottorino Respighi's majestic Pines of Rome.

March 22 and 24, 2024, invites you to A John Williams Celebration — the iconic themes from Star Wars, Harry Potter, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and more — led by guest conductor Scott Speck. This program will also be performed in both Wilmington and Lewes, Delaware.

The final Classics concert on April 26, 2024 — Amado Conducts Mahler — welcomes Maestro Amado back to the podium for Gustav Mahler's epic masterpiece, Symphony No. 7 "Song of the Night.”

Chamber Series: The Chamber Series offers intimate concerts, featuring smaller ensembles, at venues including the DuPont Country Club and the Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont.

The first concert, Percussionists of the DSO, on October 24, 2023, promises an unforgettable evening showcasing the artistry and versatility of these DSO musicians. This exciting concert will feature the works of contemporary composers Joe Taylor, Michael Udow, Ney Rosauro, as well as the Baroque genius, G. F. Handel.

On December 12, 2023, we return to the glittering Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont for Holidays at the Hotel, a delightful evening of festive melodies for the entire family, featuring the talents of Delaware's own baritone Grant Youngblood and works by Bach and Tchaikovsky.

On February 13, 2024, the final Chamber concert showcases Music of the African Diaspora. The Musicians of the DSO will perform works by influential composers Valerie Coleman, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Adolphus Hailstork, Jessie Montgomery, and Carlos Simon.

“This season represents our most diverse programming yet,” said Executive Director J.C. Barker. “Our audiences have grown significantly this past season, and we cannot wait to share this extraordinary lineup of music and artists with our friends, both old and new! We know this season will deliver performances that audiences of all ages and experience can connect with and enjoy.”

Subscription packages are available now; single tickets for all concerts will be available for sale starting August 15, 2023.

Visit DelawareSymphony.org or call 302.656.7442 for more details.

Joseph Hodge Named Music Director of Wilmington Community Orchestra

Joseph Hodge is the new Music Director of
the Wilmington Community Orchestra.

The Music School of Delaware's Wilmington Community Orchestra – an accomplished amateur ensemble for ages 18+ that performs standard symphonic and concerto repertoire –has announced that Joseph Hodge will be taking over the role of Music Director for the 2021-2022 season.

"We're very excited to have him on board," said Music School Dean Cheri Astolfi. "We reviewed almost 12 resumes and CVs, and we were delighted when he was interested in auditioning for the position."

Winds and brass players – with WCO members Mindy Bowman observing for the woodwinds and Steve Getty observing for the brass – also felt that he was an excellent choice and selection for the winds and for the ensemble.

JOSEPH HODGE BIO
Praised for his “musicianship and energy on stage” (Manchester Journal Inquirer), Joseph Hodge has previously served as the Music Director of the Manchester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale, Connecticut Valley Symphony Orchestra, and Hartford Opera Theater. Guest conducting engagements have brought him across the country to work with opera companies and orchestras alike, including the Jackson Symphony, Charlottesville Symphony, Wintergreen Chamber Orchestra, Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestra, Hartford All-City Youth Orchestra, Charlottesville Opera, Abilene Opera Association, Houghton Lyric Theater, and Oberlin Winter Opera. 

A champion of new music, Mr. Hodge has conducted many World Premieres, including Rachel Peters’ Wild Beasts of the Bungalow with Oberlin Winter Opera in 2020. Mr. Hodge holds degrees from the University of Virginia and the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, and is currently finishing his Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting at Michigan State University. He has previously studied conducting with Kevin Noe, Edward Cumming, Christopher Zimmerman, and Kate Tamarkin.