Two concerts are scheduled at the end of May featuring the Toe River Arts Chamber Ensemble. The first one will be held at the outdoor stage of Homeplace in Burnsville at 7 pm, weather permitting. The orchestra will perform selections from their spring program. Then on Tuesday, May 28, the orchestra invites the public to their Annual Spring Concert at 7:30 pm at the First Baptist Church on the Burnsville Square. Both concerts are free and open to the public, donations are graciously accepted and provide music for the orchestra.
Director R. Kevin Paul leads the group in some lively music for the Spring Concert. From selections by Ralph Vaughan Williams; “English Folk Song Suite” and “Overture to The Wasps,” to works by Camille Saint-Saens; “Bacchanale” and “Dance of the Gypsy.” The concert will also include “Overture to Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss II, and “Dance of the Tumblers” by Rimsky-Korsakov, the “Coriolan Overture” by Lugwig van Beethoven, as well as the five part movement, “Sketches from South Toe” by local Burnsville composer and musician, Bill Wilkes.
This is the third concert led by director Paul who began leading the Toe River Chamber Ensemble in Fall 2023. He leads with great enthusiasm and humor – keeping the orchestra on their feet with these lively pieces. When asked about his choices for the concert, he replied, “”I try to select substantive concert music that is fun for the players to work on, and music that is accessible and engaging for our audience.“
The Ensemble consists of 25 to 30 players and has been ongoing for close to 50 years. The musicians come from Yancey, Mitchell, Madison and Buncombe counties. They are of all ages and professions who come together weekly to enjoy and play music.
The First Baptist Church is the groups’ gracious host and provides the venue for the group to meet to rehearse and give concerts to the public. For more information on the orchestra please visit https://www.
