The Reno Phil celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2018-19 season and has a full line-up of concerts, education programs, and special events that will honor the past and propel the orchestra toward the future.
The Reno Phil’s flagship program is the six-concert Classix Series that welcomes extraordinary guest artists to join the orchestra for classical favorites and contemporary symphonic works.
The series runs September through April with a Saturday concert at 7:30 pm and a Sunday performance at 4:00 pm at the Pioneer Center. This year’s highlights include Gershwin’s Concerto in F, world-renowned baritone Thomas Hampson, Mozart’s Requiem, and a work commissioned by the Reno Phil from composer Zhou Tian that honors the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.
In addition to classical music, the orchestra performs a variety of pops concerts:
• Spirit of the Season – Three holiday concerts the first weekend of December that feature the orchestra, Reno Phil Chorus, dance groups, Santa Claus and more.
• Fourth of July - A free patriotic concert on July 4th at Wingfield Park.
• Pops on the River - National touring artists join the orchestra to perform pop music favorites. Patrons dress in costumes, decorate tables, and throw one memorable party.
• Bravo on the Beach – Two concerts at Sand Harbor on the beautiful shores of Lake Tahoe.
• Free Family Concert – A one-hour family concert with hands-on musical education activities for kids on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2:00 pm.
As a community led orchestra, music education for our youth is at the heart of the Reno Phil’s mission. The Reno Phil offers four youth orchestras of varying age and skill level that feature nearly 300 of northern Nevada and California’s young musicians.
Additionally, the Reno Phil Kids Program provides free afterschool strings instruction at Title 1 At Risk elementary schools. The Reno Phil also strives to introduce orchestral music to young children through Discover Music and Young People’s Concerts.
Discover Music is an educational outreach program where ensembles of two to five musicians travel to Washoe County and regional elementary schools to perform and introduce students to various instruments.
In partnership with the Washoe County School District, the Young People’s Concerts are presented for over 8,000 third, fourth, and fifth-grade students. In addition to all the annual activities, the Reno Phil’s 50th season features a variety of special events:
• The Nevada Historical Society hosts a special exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary sponsored by Nevada Humanities.
• Play for a Day – Anyone who has every played an instrument can dust it off and join professional musicians to perform a concert on January 6, 2019.
• Reno Phil on the Road – The orchestra performs in Elko, NV in May 2019.
• Rhythm and Rawhide - The Reno Phil and Reno Rodeo Foundation team up on June 1, 2019 to present a gala that features the orchestra with guest artists performing country music.
The Reno Phil welcomes you to join them in Celebrating 50 Years of Shaping the Landscape all season long.
As a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit, the Reno Phil relies on donations, grants, sponsorships, ad sales, and ticket revenue. The business community can support the Reno Phil in a variety of ways. Sponsorship opportunities include sponsoring a concert, a specific work, or a featured guest artist.
Businesses can also purchase an ad in concert programs. Many companies entertain employees or prospective clients by buying a block of group tickets to a Saturday evening Classix concert.
The Reno Phil’s offices are located at 925 Riverside Drive, Ste. 3 (inside the McKinley Arts and Culture Center). To learn more about the Reno Phil, visit www.renophil.com.
This article was provided on behalf of the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra; Snell & Wilmer sponsors this content.