BWW Previews: AMERICAN CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA Plans for 2015-2016 Season

The American Classical Orchestra (ACO) has an easy, comfortable atmosphere created by conductor, Tom Crawford. Maestro Crawford brought his charm and thoughtfulness to the final concert of the 2014-2015 season. The concert was held at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall on June 4, with a reading of largely forgotten, Classical era composer, Freidrich Witt's, Symphony in A major. Crawford cleverly instructed the audience, "You'll know when to clap because I'll turn around!"

The magical moment of the evening occurred during Haydn's Concerto in C major for Cello and Orchestra, played by ACO principal cellist, Myron Lutzke performing on a 300 year old cello..

Lutzke effortlessly executed the virtuosic maneuvers of the piece, including quadruple-stops, extended high-range passages, and displays of nimble, acrobatic fingering.

Crawford's has an expert rapport with the members of the American Classical Orchestra. It seemed as though Maestro Crawford needs only give a look, and the orchestra responds. Such a connection between conductor and orchestra is unusual and speaks to the prodigious level of the ensemble.

Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony No 6 concluded the concert; and is considered an ideal salute to springtime. The reading displays a meditation on Beethoven's tempi by Maestro Crawford.

The thunderstorm in the hands of Crawford and the ACO was a frightening affair: The orchestra provided a 21st century perspective on what a fierce thunderstorm must have sounded like to people before the age of so much man-made noise.

At this final concert of the season, applause erupted from the sold-out, Alice Tully Hall. Maestro Crawford's beaming smile was an appropriate sentiment for the conclusion of the American Classical Orchestra's immensely successful, 30th Anniversary season.

The American Classical Orchestra kicks off their 2015-2016 season on Thursday, September 10th, 2015 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center with a 7:00 pm Pre-Concert Lecture and an 8:00 pm concert. The September 10th concert will be Emperor - All Beethoven.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit their web site at: http://www.americanclassicalorchestra.org/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of American Classical Orchestra

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