Symphony visit set; Schram to return

May 11, 2010, has been set as the date of the annual Nashville Symphony concert in Calsonic Arena, featuring local guest performers and a local art show.

The steering committee for the 2010 concert, composed of both local and Nashville Symphony representatives, held its first meeting on Wednesday. Dawn Holley was re-elected as chair and preliminary planning began for the concert.

Symphony officials confirmed that Albert-George Schram, the symphony's resident pops conductor, will again lead the orchestra at the Shelbyville concert. Schram, a native of the Netherlands, has conducted two of the last three Shelbyville concerts and has been warmly received by local crowds. The casual-dress, family-oriented concert features classical, popular and patriotic selections, often with an emphasis on familiar, friendly melodies.

For the past three years, high school bands from within Bedford County have been guest performers with the symphony. The steering committee hopes to set up a regular four-year rotation; the three local bands would each have a turn and then the fourth year would be filled by a band from a neighboring county, to increase regional attendance. The four-year rotation would mean that, in theory, members of local bands would get one opportunity to perform with the symphony during their four years of high school.

The steering committee hopes to make arrangements for a guest band for the 2010 concert soon.

The Motlow College Jazz Band traditionally provides pre-concert and intermission entertainment for the event.

Regions Bank is the sponsor for the Nashville Symphony's community concerts throughout Middle Tennessee. The local concert is hosted by Bedford County Arts Council and The Celebration, and supported by additional local sponsors, allowing all ticket proceeds to benefit Bedford County Arts Council.

The symphony has been performing in Shelbyville since 1989. The concerts have been more or less an annual event, the one exception being a year-and-a-half gap when the event was shifted from fall to spring.