The Northern Orchestra is in the swing of baseball playoffs for launching their new season of concerts.
Conductor and music director Gordon Lucas is calling this show Heavy Hitters, with a lineup of all-star composers on the batting order.
"Our guest soloist is the renowned clarinetist Simon Cole, who will be playing the dazzling Concerto No. 2 in E-Flat by Carl Maria von Weber," said Lucas.
"This is not to be missed. Seldom played live because of its tremendous difficulty, it is also a melodious and dramatic work that hints of the opera stage."
Cole is a recording artist, concert promoter, music instructor and principal clarinetist for the Prince George Symphony Orchestra.
After that leadoff hitter, next up is one of the orchestra's hot rookies.
"Our community soloist is Amber Ens, our assistant concertmaster, and she is performing Summer from Vivaldi's Four Seasons," Lucas said.
"(It's) a flashback look at warmer times as we approach our first snows. This is Amber's first solo with the Northern Orchestra, and we hope that you come out to support her talent and industry."
Batting cleanup is the silver slugger of music, the sultan of string, the brute of the flute, the big banana of the grand piana... Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART!
The Northern Orchestra will swing for the fences with Symphony No. 41 in C. It is known by the nickname Jupiter, said Lucas, "so-called for its lofty, celestial bearing. One of the greatest works ever written, this is a must-hear for all music lovers."
This is the first concert of the community performance group's 2016-17 year. They will perform this inauguration event twice.
The Prince George show happens Saturday at First Baptist Church at 2:30 p.m., then their Vanderhoof show happens in the small auditorium of Nechako Valley secondary school at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets for either show are available at the door for $10 regular adult, $7.50 for students and seniors.
