BYU-Idaho Radio · Thomas Heuser Interview
The Idaho Falls Symphony is finishing its 73rd season, entitled “Fantasy and Folklore.” For its final performance, the musicians will perform Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in its entirety, including quite a few performers from outside of the Idaho Falls Symphony.
“We have a wonderful selection of soloists coming to join our musicians,” said Thomas Heuser, music director and conductor for the Idaho Falls Symphony.
The concert will also include a 100-person choir made up of the Camerata Singers from Pocatello and the Idaho State University Concert Choir.
In the fourth movement of the symphony, the choir will sing lyrics from a translation of Friedrich Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy.” To help explain the significance of these lyrics within the context of the piece, Heuser will hold a lecture an hour before the concert.
“This beautiful story that is told through the music has impacted performers and audiences for more than 200 years, but still has the power today to tell a very important message: the brotherhood of mankind, and the joy that comes from the sound of beautiful music,” he said.
The season finale concert of the Idaho Falls Symphony will be on Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at ifsymphony.org.