Countdown 1… Waddell

At this festive concert, you will hear the last of the four candidates* being considered as GBS’ new Music Director: Guest Conductor Rachel Waddell.

Themed “Story-Telling Time,” this concert is thrilling, enlightening and family-friendly all at once. Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf featuring a special guest narrator along with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade to anchor the evening, which will also highlight the musical version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and a new piece by Chickasaw composer Jerod Tate: Chofki.

Rachel L. Waddell, an American conductor, has garnered acclaim for her innovative concert programming, commitment to new music, education, and collaboration. She was named a finalist for the American Prize’s 2019 Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming due to her outstanding concert programs.  Rachel serves as the newly appointed Director of Orchestras at Colorado State University. Previously she was the Director of Orchestral Activities and Assistant Professor with the Arthur Satz Department of Music at the University of Rochester in New York. She has conducted orchestras around the world and in August 2022 she made her Vienna debut conducting Così fan tutte as part of the Vienna Opera Academy.

In July 2023 she made her Canadian debut with the Orchestre Métropolitain, after being selected to conduct by Yannick Nézet-Séguin at Le Domaine Forget de Charlevoix.  Rachel’s interest in the constantly evolving role and responsibility of orchestras within their communities led her to co-found Conductors for Change, Inc., a 501(c)(3) for anyone reimagining the future of the American orchestras.

This season, all kids under 19 years old will be admitted FREE when accompanied by an adult; accompanying adults will get 15% off their single ticket prices.  Please note that our concerts will begin one half hour earlier this season, at 7:30 PM.