Firelands Symphony opens with show featuring Gershwin

SANDUSKY — American music genius George Gershwin, equally adept at pop songs and orchestral works, will be featured when the Firelands Symphony Orchestra opens the season Saturday night at Sandusky State Theatre."One of the great icons of American music," said Firelands conductor and music director Carl Topilow, who will lead the orchestra.Gershwin penned hit songs such as "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessarily So" that will be performed Saturday. The orchestra also will be performing his well-loved "Rhapsody in Blue.""Of all the great composers who died young, he and Bizet are the most tragic," Topilow said.Gershwin's sudden death was arguably the worst day in American music. He was only 38 when he died in Los Angeles in July 11, 1937, from a brain tumor. His illness was front page news in the July 11 "New York Times" and his death made the paper's front page the next day.Bizet, known for "Carmen," was only 36 when he died. Mozart died at 35, but not before writing hundreds of works, including 41 symphonies and 21 operas.Topilow is bringing in top performers to assist himself and the orchestra with the show. Soprano Kishna Davis Fowler and baritone Michael Preacely, will be singing highlights from Gershwin's musical, "Porgy and Bess."Preacely sang at the orchestra's Christmas concert in 2017, and the two guest singers know all of "Porgy and Bess," not just the songs they will be performing, Topilow said."Rhapsody in Blue," one of the best-known pieces in American music, frequently pops up in movies and TV commercials, such as ads for United Airlines. A 1992 United commercial featured a parrot picking out the tune on a piano.Instead of a parrot, however, Topilow is bringing in acclaimed classical pianist Kathryn Brown, who has performed all over the world and co-founded a chamber music group, the Myriad Chamber Players. She's collaborated before with Topilow on "Rhapsody in Blue.""She is a wonderful musician, a lovely lady," Topilow said.Saturday's show also will feature the full orchestra and the Firelands Symphony Chorale, a vocal group led by Michael Shirtz.Sponsors for the show include the Randolph J. and Estelle M. Dorn Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, Diane and Gary Ackerman, the Erie County Community Foundation and Lata Stefano Dental.Want to go?WHAT: Season opener concert by the Firelands Symphony Orchestra and special guests, featuring the music of George Gershwin.WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to hear a pre-concert talk.COST: Available by calling the box office at 419-621-4800;.firelandssymphony.com/tickets/ and at the Sandusky State Theatre the day of the show.George Gershwin