Island Getaway, the Quincy Symphony Chorus spring pops concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7 in Salem Evangelical United Church of Christ.
Steel drums and calypso music inject a Caribbean feel, transporting the audience to the tropics for the night. This concert echoes the spirit of the islands: fun, casual and loud!
Feeling the call of sun and sand? The Latin dance party original, “Caribbean Getaway” will take you there with salsa rhythms adding the finishing touch! Local trio Avenue Beat (Sam Backoff, Savana Santos and Sami Bearden) will play ukuleles as the chorus performs Israel Iz’s Hawaiian-style “Over the Rainbow.” This version is a fresh rendition of a classic favorite. The Chorus will also perform the toe-tapping, hand-clapping “I Want to See My Jesus Someday,” “Island in the Sun,” “Summer Samba” and many others, accompanied by pianist Mary Shelor and percussionists Bill Machold and Alec Levy.
Steel drum artist Candice Hill will join the chorus for many of the songs, and will talk to the audience and demonstrate the steel pan technique. Hill is a performer and instructor of percussion in the Kansas City, Mo. area. She performs live on steel pan (steel drum), drum set and percussion, and teaches private lessons as well as middle and high school percussion. She has performed in Trinidad with Skiffle Bunch in the 2006 Panorama Competition, spent two years with the KC Chiefs Rumble Drumline, and performs as a guest solo artist around Missouri. She performs regularly with Project Mayhem, Tropical Dreamers, NKC First Baptist Praise Band, and Northwinds Symphonic Band.
Candice received a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance on Percussion from Missouri State University. While at MSU she started playing steel pan for fun, then more seriously with a group called MR8. She earned a master’s degree in Music Performance on Steel Pan from Northern Illinois University. After studying with Liam Teague and Cliff Alexis, and receiving her degree, she moved back to Missouri to help promote the legitimacy of the steel pan as a concert instrument.
The Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Phyllis Robertson, is a regional singing group with members from many generations and walks of life coming together weekly for the fellowship and the enjoyment of making music. The chorus performs three concerts each season, performing traditional choral works, an annual Pops concert, and often joining the Quincy Symphony for larger choral works. The chorus does not rehearse in the summer. Auditions are under way for new members who would like to begin rehearsals in the fall.
Tickets for Island Getaway will be available at the door or may be purchased in advance from the Symphony office at 200 N. 8th St., Suite 102, Quincy Hy-Vee stores, or from Sturhahn Jewelers. The cost is $18 for adults and $15 for seniors. Thanks in part to support from the Tracy Family Foundation, children 18 and under are admitted free to all QSO concerts, and are encouraged to attend. The performance is made possible in part by Music Sponsor Klingner & Associates, Media Sponsor STARadio WTAD, by the Marion Gardner Jackson Charitable Trust, and by the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Special thanks to our season sponsors, Knapheide Manufacturing Company and Blessing Health System.
The $250 early bird drawing for the QSOA fundraising raffle will be held at the end of intermission. Raffle tickets are for sale for $10 each or 12 for $100, and are available from any chorus, orchestra, Encore!, or board member. The $1,000 grand prize drawing will be held at the Quincy Symphony’s Orchestra’s “Pines of Rome” Finale Concert on April 18. The winner need not be present at the drawing. Raffle proceeds will support the many programs of the Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association, including the Youth Orchestra, Youth Chorus, Concerts for children, Choral concerts, and Quincy Symphony Orchestra concerts. Visit the website www.qsoa.org or call the Symphony office for more information 222-2856.
