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West
Chester
Symphony Orchestra Susan Schirmer, Music Director |
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The West Chester Symphony was formed in June of 1997 by community members who wanted to promote string music to the community and to students of the Lakota School District, and to provide a local community orchestra for string players and other musicians of the West Chester and surrounding northern Cincinnati area. Our first concert was for the Grand Opening of the Keehner Park Amphitheater on Labor Day, a tradition that continues to today.
The orchestra has grown and expanded our concert season and our collaboration with other performing groups through the past 11 years. The orchestra has performed as part of the Fine Arts Fund Weekend Sampler with child friendly programming based on audience interaction and participation. We have premiered new compositions by composer Phil Koplow, worked with Dr. Craig Woodson, instrument maker and Ethnomusicologist, and hosted a week with international clarinetist Richard Stoltzman as he performed at Lakota schools and with the orchestra.
The orchestra continues to seek new groups to perform with, having collaborated with Lakota High School Choirs, CPAL Children's Choir, The Circle Singers, and Cincinnati Scots Bagpipe Band to name a few. The WCS looks forward to its next decade of bringing a variety of great music to the West Chester community.
The orchestra is actively seeking new members, especially
string
players. Adults and students, ages 15 and up, are welcome. We play a
wide variety of music including light classics, pop, broadway and
movies. Rehearsals are Thursday evenings and are conducted in a relaxed
atmosphere. No auditions are required - many of our members are
re-introducing themselves to playing after a long absence, and enjoy
the low pressure encouragement of the orchestra. To inquire about the
West Chester Symphony, call 513
829-2779 or 513 777-9609, Email
us, or fill out this information form.
Meet our Conductor: Susan J. Schirmer, director of the West Chester Symphony, received her BS degree in Music Theory/Composition and Music Education from Indiana State University and her Master of Music in Music Theory/Composition from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She has been actively performing, conducting, composing/arranging and teaching in the Cincinnati area for many years. As a conductor, Mrs. Schirmer has premiered several works by local composer Phil Koplow with different groups, and conducted over 25 musicals. She is a published composer and often writes and arranges for the orchestra. An employee of the Lakota School District for over 20 years, she teaches beginning band in many of the district’s elementary schools. Mrs. Schirmer is a long time resident of Fairfield where she lives with her husband Bill and son.
2009-2010 Performance Schedule
- September 7, 2009, 7:00 pm. Concert at Keehner Park
- October 24, 2009, 6:00 pm. A Spooky Concert at Muhlhauser Barn
- November 14, 2009. Christmas Walk at St Johns, West Chester
- December 13, 2009. Christmas Concert at Neiderman's Christmas Walk
- February 20, 2010. Fine Arts Fund Sampler at Lakota East Freshman School
- April 17, 2010. West Symphony Annual Fundraiser at the Marriott Hotel, West Chester
Friends of the Symphony
Become a Friend of the Symphony! Support your community orchestra through your season supporting donation as a:
- Gold Baton Member - $500.00
- Silver Baton Member - $200.00
- Patron - $100.00
- Supporter - $50.00
- Friend - $25.00
Mail donations to: The West Chester Symphony, P.O. Box 1021, West Chester, OH 45071.
If you are interested in becoming a corporate concert sponsor, please contact our office at 513 829-2779.
2009-2010 Rehearsal
Schedule
Thursdays, 7:00 pm
Usually at Heritage Elementary
Call 513
829-2779 for the lastest info.
To be put on the rehearsal mailing list, send us a message.
Relevant Locations
Cherokee Elementary:
5345 Kyles Station Rd, Liberty Township 45011
Heritage Elementary School: Rt 747 (Princeton-Glendale) and Hamilton-Mason Rd
Faith United Methodist Church: Cox Road, just north of Barrett Road
Keehner Park: Off Barrett Rd, north of West Chester Rd
Lakota East High School: East of Cincinnati-Dayton Rd, near Bethany Rd
Lakota West High School: Corner of West
Chester Road and Union Centre Blvd., off I-75.
Mulhauser Barn: 8558
Beckett Road, West Chester
Tri-County Baptist Church: 8195 Beckett Rd. Corner of Beckett and Smith Rds
Union Elementary: Cincinnati-Dayton Rd. Take I-75 to Cincinnati-Dayton Road exit. Turn south on Cincinnati-Dayton Road. Proceed south for just under one mile. Union Elementary will be on your Right (the West side of Cin-Day Rd.) across from the West Chester Post Office
Voice of America Park, 8070 Tylersville Rd. Tylersville Rd
West Chester Presbyterian Church 8930 Cincinnati-Dayton Rd, West Chester 45069, North of West Chester Rd (Socialville-Foster in Mason)
Our Sponsors:
Arts Council of West Chester & Liberty
Cincinnati Fine Arts Fund
Photos of the West Chester Symphony at recent concerts.
Cincinnati Enquirer Article on the Symphony.
Please address comments on this page to Jeffrey Clymer.
For a list of other community musical groups, see Cincinnati Performing Arts.
Debut: 6/97. Revision No. 86. October 11, 2009. Visitors:
