When the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra gathers to perform the Symphony at Sunset concert in September, they do so on a charming two-acre sanctuary where oak, cedar, and magnolia trees provide a natural Southern backdrop. This intimate setting includes Jackson’s oldest surviving residential structure, making The Cedars a community landmark. It is also the perfect space for the Orchestra’s themed throwback to America’s traditional concert in the park.
“In the old days, people would gather around a gazebo to hear the town band play. They would play waltzes, dance numbers, marches, and Broadway hits. That was the first standard American concert and we are trying to emulate that,” said Conductor of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Crafton Beck. “This program is very different from a classical indoor concert. You cannot do quiet pieces here. This venue requires music that is melodic. If the people don’t know the songs, they should want to tap their feet to it. We like to think of it as a traditional concert in the park.”
Symphony at Sunset at the Cedars once celebrated the life of Elta Livingston, who was the longest-living resident of Fondren. This September, the Cedars aim to fulfill the sense of community surrounding both the legacy of Fondren as well as today’s new families.
“It is a very intimate space,” said Beck. “We are surrounded by the trees. The audience is right there on top of us. This audience is the same group of people who come every year, and they aren’t the people who come to our classical concerts. We have gotten to know each other and the way I program this concert represents that. The atmosphere of the Cedars goes hand-in-hand with the feeling of being there with old friends.”
Michael Beattie, President and Executive Director of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, said, “This is the kind of concert we enjoy doing. It’s a magical venue and there is a feeling of community. The venue is small enough that the people are right there beside you. It feels like a neighborhood event.”
Beck, who joined the Symphony a year before Symphony at Sunset became an annual event, remembers when Duling Hall was the venue of choice. “I’ve been with it from the beginning,” he said. The 2003 renovation of the Cedars brought in cultural events such as Symphony at Sunset and now members of the Symphony can’t imagine playing this concert anywhere else.
Amulet Strange, Principal Flute for the Orchestra, said, “I performed my first Symphony at Sunset last season. It was my very first performance with Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.” Likewise, this concert will be the first performance of the season for the Orchestra.
Familiar names like John Williams and John Philip Souza are included on the concert’s program. Marta Szlubowska, the Symphony’s Concertmaster, has two violin solos prepared for the night. Also on the program are the Ghostbusters theme and selections from the Sound of Music.
“This year, we will be playing a variety of Showtunes and Americana as well as some favorites from the Sound of Music. The piece I am looking forward to most is the final piece of the program, Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. The flute section gets to stand up and play the piccolo solo together. I think there will be something for everyone to enjoy,” said Strange.
The Cedars and the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra share two important things: their historic roots and their service to the community. This concert provides an opportunity for the two to come together and entertain their neighborhood as one. “We as a group are a resource for the larger community,” said Beck. “Our string players are in the schools every day; on Sundays we have players in the churches. We are the only professional classical orchestra in the state, it’s our people that organizations come to when they need musicians. We are the serious classical resource of the state and that’s pretty cool. That’s who we are.”
The Symphony at Sunset concert will take place on the third Thursday of September at the Cedars in Fondren.
