POPLARVILLE, Miss. 鈥� 91福利 welcomed the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra to open the 2026-27 fine arts season on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts.
鈥淲e were honored to receive support from the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Legislature, our season sponsors, and the National Endowment for the Arts to bring the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra to the Brownstone Center,鈥� said Dr. Trevor Hunt, Fine Arts and Communications Chair and Brownstone Center Director. 鈥淭his was an incredible opportunity for our students to experience professional orchestral music up close and for our community to enjoy world-class music right here at home. We are grateful for the support that made experiences like this possible.鈥�
The concert showcased an eclectic mix of patriotic selections, timeless classical works, and iconic film scores. The wide-ranging repertoire meant nearly every listener found a familiar favorite or discovered a new piece that moved them.
The evening began with the audience singing along with Music Director and Conductor Crafton Beck to the National Anthem. After setting the tone for the evening, Beck shared how much the MSO looks forward to the annual performance.
鈥淭his is a magnificent space,鈥� said Beck. 鈥淲e look forward to playing. In fact, we designed this program just for you guys. We wanted to play in this hall.鈥�
The orchestra spent the first half of the concert focused on a few well-known classical selections. They began with 鈥淔riska from Franz Lizst鈥檚 Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2,鈥� before launching into 鈥淥n the Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 314鈥� by Johann Strauss Jr. This was followed by Johann Strauss鈥檚 鈥淐hampagne Polka, Op. 211.鈥�
For approximately 20 minutes, the audience was treated to Peter Tchaikovsky鈥檚 鈥�1812 Overture.鈥� Written in 1880, the music commemorates the Russian army’s defeat of Napoleon’s great army, which marked a turning point in the war against Napoleon. The piece begins and ends with an Orthodox hymn of the people’s prayer rising to God to protect them and their homeland and to drive these aggressors out. Between the hymn passages is the great horn call marking the French army鈥檚 attack, along with the French national anthem played repeatedly before listeners finally hear what was then Russia’s national anthem.
After the intermission, the program shifted to more modern selections with the theme from Peter Gunn beginning the second half. The orchestra took a bow after performing the 鈥淪ymphonic Suite鈥� from The Lord of the Rings, featuring the main themes from The Fellowship of the Ring, composed by Howard Shore and arranged by John Whitney. This was followed by 鈥淏ach Remix鈥� arranged by Beck, which combined 鈥淪uite for Solo Cello鈥� and 鈥淭occata and Fugue.鈥�
鈥淎 Tribute to the King: The Music of Elvis,鈥� arranged by Ted Ricketts, included an oboe solo by Julie Hudik. The oboe received additional spotlight time with 鈥淕abriel鈥檚 Oboe鈥� from The Mission, composed by Ennio Morricone, who composed for other movies such as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and The Untouchables. The theme to Spider-Man (2002), as well as the main theme to Jurassic Park, rounded out the modern selections.
The evening concluded with a rousing encore of John Philip Sousa鈥檚 鈥淪tars and Stripes Forever,鈥� complete with a trio of piccolos. Before the piece concluded, the audience was on its feet and clapping in appreciation.
Cecilia Barron of Hattiesburg came specifically to enjoy the MSO. She was present the first year they played in the Brownstone, but had not been back since.
鈥淲e regularly attend the USM Symphony, but seeing the Mississippi Symphony tonight is a treat,鈥� said Barron. 鈥淭he acoustics are so much better here and I鈥檝e enjoyed all of the selections they have played.鈥�
Dozens of students taking music appreciation this semester observed the performance from the balcony. Landon Knight, a freshman from Lumberton, was among those attending the concert to fulfill one requirement of the music appreciation class. Students may have come in not knowing exactly what to expect from an orchestral concert, but left with a greater appreciation for the art.
鈥淭he concert is not my usual style, but I liked it,鈥� said Knight. 鈥淚 really liked the Spider-Man song鈥攖hat came straight from my childhood.鈥�
BROWNSTONE SCHEDULE
Four more events are scheduled for the fall semester.
ACA Fest, featuring performances by Mississippi high schools and PRCC鈥檚 talented vocal groups, The Voices, Currents, and Rapids, will be on Nov. 12 and 13 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 each evening with open seating.
Holiday Pops, the annual Christmas-themed concert, will take place on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. The student concert will feature performances by The Voices, Currents, Rapids, PRCC Singers, JazzCats, Theatre, and other talented student ensembles. Tickets are $7 with assigned seating. Tickets will not be sold in person on the night of the concert.
The annual performances of The Nutcracker will be on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 with assigned seating.
Tickets for each event can be purchased at prcc.edu/brownstone/upcoming-events/ or by calling 601-403-1180.
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Article and photography by Laura O’Neill.
