The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra (SEISO) will perform their first Masterworks Series concerts this season, Music From (Mostly) the Americas, on October 21st at 7:30 PM at Burlington’s Capitol Theater and October 22nd at 2:00 PM at Ottumwa’s Bridge View Center and 6:30 PM at Iowa Wesleyan’s Chapel Auditorium in Mt. Pleasant.

Guiseppe Verdi’s Nabucco Overture opens the program followed by Samuel Barber’s Second Essay for orchestra and Jean Francaix’s The Flower Clock featuring Guest Artist Paul Chinen as oboe soloist. SEISO Conducting Fellow, Jilly Cooke, will conduct Jessie Montgomery’s exciting Starburst for string orchestra. The second half of the program features William Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony and the lively Huapango by Jose Pablo Moncayo Garcia.

“Our Guest Artist, oboe soloist Paul Chinen, is a wonderful player and the concert as a whole provides a great variety of pieces,” said Robert McConnell, Music Director of the SEISO. “We are especially thrilled to be back performing in the Iowa Wesleyan Chapel. We would like to thank the IW Board of Trustees, their representatives, and everyone behind the scenes who helped make this possible.”

Tickets to the Masterworks Series concerts in Burlington, Ottumwa and Mt. Pleasant may be purchased at the door or on our website www.seiso.us. Adult tickets are $20. Children/student tickets (aged 0-22) are free. There is no reserved seating.

Make the most of your concert experience by attending the ‘Prelude.’ Music Director Robert McConnell will be on hand 45 minutes before each performance to talk about the programmed music in depth. ‘Prelude’ is supported through a grant from the Charles W. Rand Memorial Lecture Fund in Burlington and is offered free of charge to all audience members.

If you have questions, please contact the SEISO Office at seiso@seiso.us. More information is available on the SEISO web site at www.seiso.us.