Join us this Memorial Day weekend for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra’s annual concerts at Railroad Park! Bring your chairs and picnic blankets and grab a seat on the lawn for these free, family-friendly (and dog-friendly) concerts.
Please note the new start time for all three concerts is 7:30pm.
Friday, May 26, 2023, 7:30pm
Symphonic Spectacular
Carlos Izcaray, conductor
Saturday, May 27, 2023, 7:30pm
Music from Peer Gynt & More!
Christopher Confessore, conductor
Sunday, May 28, 2023, 7:30pm
Family Fun Night
Christopher Confessore, conductor
Year in Review
Each season the musicians of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra organize a number of musician-led volunteer concerts benefitting some of the non-profits in our community. This year we are incredibly proud of the events and performances that we have been able to share. We raised money for Scrollworks, One Place, and i3 Academy, performed as part of the Ukrainian Freedom Festival at Independent Presbyterian Church, spread holiday cheer to parents and volunteers at the Ronald McDonald house, and even ran for breast cancer research in the Pink up the Pace 5k.
As the season draws to a close, we wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on some of these events.
Ukrainian Freedom Festival:
“As musicians, we have limited ability to directly finance efforts for humanitarian aid, but what we can do is bring communities together through the universal language of music. Through this shared experience, we can facilitate the effort to aid our Ukrainian friends and maintain awareness of their plight. It was an honor to play a small role in something that means so much in the grand scheme of things, and I’m humbled and inspired by the generosity of our community.”
Adam Pandolfi, Assistant Principal Horn
Pink up the Pace:
“Pink up the Pace 5k took place on a beautiful Autumn day in October. Running in this event with my kids and fellow musicians from the ASO was a meaningful experience for us all. Our principal trumpet player, Ryan Beach, inspired us with his trumpet call to start the race, and ASO’s new associate concertmaster Paul Halberstadt gave an impressive performance by finishing 2nd overall. We care deeply for breast cancer research and wanted to show our support and help raise awareness for this important cause.”
Viktor Dulguerov, violin
Brass Concert benefiting i3 Academy:
“It was so much fun to come together with my brass colleagues to put on a show of a wide variety of brass music – arrangements, transcriptions, and original pieces. Being able to support an organization like i3 was a privilege and honor. I believe one of the greatest tools we have as an organization is to provide access and exposure to our art form. We hope to continue this beautiful partnership that we have cultivated with i3, and reach other organizations around the state of Alabama to grow and develop our community.”
Masa Ohtake, second trombone
Ronald McDonald House:
“When I was a kid, my parents and I stayed at a Ronald McDonald House in Michigan while my younger brother had heart surgery. Having a child sick in the hospital is one of the most trying experiences for any parent. The services provided by the Ronald McDonald House – housing, comfort, meals, and community – have a profound impact on the families who stay there. It was incredibly meaningful for me to be able to offer a bit of joy through music to those families during such a difficult holiday season.”
Valerie Sly, Principal Horn
Updates
The 2022-23 season has seen important milestones for some of our ASO family. You may have noticed several new faces on the stage, and we have welcomed several new staff members to the team as well. This past year has also had some prominent weddings and birth announcements (and who doesn’t love a good wedding or baby picture? Don’t worry — we have included those too!).
We would like to first extend our congratulations to violinist Pei-Ju Wu on her marriage to Brad Bittle on October 24, 2022. The couple had an intimate and festive gathering surrounded by close friends and family here in Birmingham.
November ushered in a small ASO baby boom with the birth of Esther Lynn Halberstadt on November 8, 2022. Esther’s parents are Associate Concertmaster Paul Halberstadt and his wife Evelyn. Esther was born only months after the Halberstadts moved to Birmingham so that Paul could start his job with the Alabama Symphony.
Shortly thereafter ASO cellist Hellen Weberpal gave birth to Frances ‘Fern’ Habshey on December 1st. Fern was born 6 minutes after the start of that morning’s orchestra rehearsal (luckily Hellen was safely delivering in the hospital!). Hellen and her husband Blake are thrilled with the arrival of their first child.
Welcome to both Esther and Fern!
This month marked a very happy milestone for Music Director Carlos Izcaray and his family. On May 6, 2023, Carlos married Clare Haag in the beautifully decorated backyard of the Izcaray home. The three Izcaray children, Sofia, Alicia, and Sebastian all participated in the ceremony, and welcomed Clare into the family with open arms. Congratulations to Clare and Carlos!
