Canton Symphony Orchestra and Stark County Park District Present SUMMER SERENADES IN THE PARK

What happens when the spontaneous sounds of nature and people enjoying a park are combined with the orchestrated sounds of musicians? Serenades in the Park happens! A free, family-friendly series of brass, woodwind, and string ensembles performing all over Stark County. Everyone is invited to bring your favorite picnic food, games, and blanket or chair and enjoy the setting and music.

The Canton Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in partnership with the Stark County Park District (SCPD) will present Summer Serenades in the Park, a series of seven (7) FREE concerts from June to Labor Day 2015. The series is sponsored in part by Mary Renkert Wendling Foundation, Fred and Virginia Olivieri Canton Rotary Charitable Foundation, Young Truck Sales, and Greenlines Trucking.

The series consists of two 45-minute performances taking place each month in June, July and August and features a different small ensemble of four to five CSO musicians in a casual program of light classics, pops, patriotic, jazz and/or folk repertoire. A full-orchestra pops concert in September will complete the series. Pre-concert activities before the performances coordinated by CSO and SCPD staff will enable audience members to experience live animals, fishing, crafts, building musical instruments out of recycled materials and instrument petting zoo. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring their own chair or blanket and picnic food.

The Canton Symphony Orchestra is looking forward to the collaboration. "This is the first time we have shared our music in the parks," reflects Lisa Boyer, CSO Director of Education and Community Engagement. "It is a wonderful opportunity for a different type of artistic engagement for our audiences, musicians and community in general." Likewise, the Stark County Park District sees many benefits to the program. "The Summer Serenades series offers frequent park visitors a new way to enjoy their park and introduce first-time guests to a park and community," says Jared Shive, SCPD Marketing Specialist. "We're excited to partner with the Canton Symphony Orchestra and bring live music performances to the most relaxing settings in Stark County."

The schedule of the performances is:
June 4, 2015 6:30pm Exploration Gateway String Quartet
Live animal display beginning at 5:30 (in case of rain, the concert will be moved indoors)

June 23, 2015 6:30pm Magnolia Flouring Mills Brass Quintet
Mill tours, instrument petting zoo, instrument building beginning at 5:30 (rain dateJune 24 at 6:30pm)

July 7, 2015 6:30pm Walborn Reservoir Woodwind Quintet
Bald eagle booth, fishing station beginning at 5:30 (rain date July 8 at 6:30pm)

July 19, 2015 4:30pm Cook's Lagoon Brass Quintet
Craft activities and instrument building beginning at 3:30 (rain date July 26 at 4:30pm)

August 13, 2015 6:30pm Fichtner Center String Quartet
Scavenger hunt with booths beginning at 5:30 (rain date August 14 at 6:30pm)

August 23, 2015 6:30pm Minerva Municipal Park Woodwind Quintet
Live animal display and instrument petting zoo beginning at 5:30pm (rain dateAugust 25 at 6:30pm)

September 6, 2015 6:30pm Petros Lake Park Full Orchestra
Live animal display, stuffed animal hospital, instrument building (rain dateSeptember 7 at 6:30pm)

The mission of the Stark County Park District is to acquire, preserve, and develop natural areas for passive recreation, conservation, education, and nature appreciation. Stark Parks offers more than 13 parks and 80 miles of hiking, bicycling, and equestrian trails and four lakes for boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. More information is available at StarkParks.com.

Founded in 1937, the Canton Symphony Orchestra is a fully professional ensemble and organization dedicated to performing concerts that enrich, educate and entertain. Under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann, the orchestra performs classical, pops, holiday, and educational programs. Most performances are in Umstattd Performing Arts Hall at the Zimmermann Symphony Center 2331 17th Street NW, Canton, Ohio (adjacent to McKinley High School). Parking at the Zimmermann Symphony Center is free. For more information, please visitwww.CantonSymphony.org.

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