Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, September 8, 2025
News Summary
The Cape Ann Symphony will launch its 74th season with ‘The Virtuoso Orchestra Concert’ featuring Holst’s ‘The Planets’ and Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition.’ Conducted by Maestro Yoichi Udagawa, the concert includes community performers from the Treble Chorus. Scheduled for September 28, the event promises an engaging afternoon of classical music at the Manchester-Essex Regional High School Auditorium.
Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA — The Cape Ann Symphony will open Season 74 with The Virtuoso Orchestra Concert! on September 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Manchester-Essex Regional High School Auditorium, 36 Lincoln Street. The program, conducted by Music Director and Conductor Maestro Yoichi Udagawa, features Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Op. 32, with the Treble Chorus joining for portions of the piece, and concludes with Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition as orchestrated by Maurice Ravel. Ticket prices are $55 for adults, $50 for seniors, $20 for students with valid ID, and $5 for youth aged 12 and under. The auditorium is handicapped accessible.
Key program and personnel
The concert highlights large-scale orchestral works intended to demonstrate the technical skill and expressive range of the ensemble. The opening work, Holst’s The Planets, calls for substantial orchestral forces to render musical portraits of seven planetary characters: Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The Treble Chorus, directed by Brittany Betts and composed of community singers from North Shore towns, will join the orchestra for selections from Holst’s piece. The performance concludes with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, originally a piano suite, here performed in Maurice Ravel’s orchestration.
Historical and musical context
Holst composed The Planets between 1914 and 1916, drawing inspiration from astrology and aiming to convey each planet’s personality through music. The work first appeared in private performance in 1918 and received its public premiere in 1920, leading to Holst’s widespread recognition. Mussorgsky wrote Pictures at an Exhibition in 1874 as a piano suite in tribute to artist Viktor Hartmann; the suite comprises ten movements linked by a recurring Promenade theme that represents a visitor moving through an exhibition of Hartmann’s works. Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s suite was commissioned by conductor Serge Koussevitzky and premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1924, becoming one of the most frequently performed orchestral adaptations of the piano original.
About the performers
The Cape Ann Symphony was founded in Gloucester in 1952 and currently includes more than 70 professional musicians from across New England. The orchestra’s programming typically comprises a subscription season of four main concerts plus several additional programs and community-oriented performances. The Treble Chorus draws singers from Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly, and South Hamilton, expanding the concert’s local participation.
Logistics and accessibility
The Manchester-Essex Regional High School Auditorium at 36 Lincoln Street provides handicapped access. Ticket pricing is tiered to accommodate adults, seniors, students with valid identification, and youth aged 12 and under. The performance is scheduled for a Sunday afternoon start at 2:00 PM to accommodate community attendance.
What to expect musically
The program is designed to display orchestral virtuosity through widely known and large-scale repertoire. Holst’s work explores dramatic contrasts and sweeping orchestral color across its seven movements; the inclusion of the Treble Chorus adds a choral dimension for sections of that work. Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky brings vivid instrumental color to the original piano textures, offering a dynamic and varied closing sequence. The programming emphasizes both technical demands and audience familiarity with monumental works in the classical canon.
Additional background
Maestro Yoichi Udagawa is listed as Music Director and Conductor for the event, guiding the ensemble through both the expansive orchestral score of Holst and the richly colored Ravel orchestration. Brittany Betts leads the Treble Chorus, coordinating community vocalists whose participation reflects the orchestra’s engagement with the North Shore towns. The combination of professional musicians and local singers underscores a community-centered approach to large-scale concert presentation.
Event summary
- Who: Cape Ann Symphony with Treble Chorus
- What: Season 74 opening concert, The Virtuoso Orchestra Concert
- When: Sunday, September 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM
- Where: Manchester-Essex Regional High School Auditorium, 36 Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
- Program highlights: Holst’s The Planets, Op. 32; Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in Ravel’s orchestration
- Tickets: $55 adults, $50 seniors, $20 students (valid ID), $5 youth 12 and under
FAQ
When and where is the concert?
The concert takes place on September 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Manchester-Essex Regional High School Auditorium, 36 Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA.
What works will be performed?
The program opens with Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Op. 32, including participation by the Treble Chorus, and ends with Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, orchestrated by Maurice Ravel.
Who conducts and who will sing with the orchestra?
Music Director and Conductor Maestro Yoichi Udagawa will lead the orchestra. The Treble Chorus, directed by Brittany Betts, includes community singers from several North Shore towns.
How much do tickets cost?
Tickets are $55 for adults, $50 for seniors, $20 for students with valid ID, and $5 for youth aged 12 and under.
Is the venue accessible?
Yes. The Manchester-Essex Regional High School Auditorium is handicapped accessible.
Event at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date and time | September 28, 2025 — 2:00 PM |
| Event | The Virtuoso Orchestra Concert (Season 74 opening) |
| Venue | Manchester-Essex Regional High School Auditorium, 36 Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA |
| Conductor | Maestro Yoichi Udagawa |
| Featured works | Gustav Holst: The Planets, Op. 32; Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel orchestration) |
| Chorus | Treble Chorus directed by Brittany Betts; singers from Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly, South Hamilton |
| Ticket prices | $55 adults / $50 seniors / $20 students (valid ID) / $5 youth (12 and under) |
| Accessibility | Handicapped accessible auditorium |
| Orchestra | Cape Ann Symphony — founded 1952; more than 70 professional musicians from New England |
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Additional Resources
- Broadway World: Cape Ann Symphony Kicks Off Season with THE VIRTUOSO ORCHESTRA
- Broadway World: Pianist Myron Romanul Joins Cape Ann Symphony For May Concert
- North Shore Magazine: Cape Ann Symphony Announces New Choral Director and Chorus Auditions
- Wicked Local: Cape Ann Symphony to Perform Outdoors July 18
- North Shore Magazine: Cape Ann Symphony Conductor Yoichi Udagawa Shares His Passion for Classical Music
- Wikipedia: Cape Ann Symphony
- Google Search: Cape Ann Symphony
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cape Ann Symphony
- Google News: Cape Ann Symphony
- Google Scholar: Cape Ann Symphony
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