A Night with Mannheim Rocket

MANNHEIM ROCKET TO PRESENT INAUGURAL CONCERT ON MARCH 13, 2015 AT MONUMENTAL CHURCH

200 year old music, 200 year old instruments, 200 year old building!

Richmond, Virginia: Mannheim Rocket presents its inaugural performance on March 13, 2015 at the historic Monumental Church in Richmond. This is a new orchestra and the only one of its kind in Central Virginia. Musicians will be performing music from 200 years ago, on 200 year-old instruments.

The performance will include musicians from as far away as Canada and New York to perform on historical instruments dating from the same era as the music being performed. The concert will include Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. The Marshall University Fife and Drum Corps will perform as guest musicians, parading into the church in full costume to usher in the concert celebration.

The orchestra is under the direction and artistic leadership of Richard Spece. “Central Virginia is rich with history, from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello to the charm of historic Williamsburg. What’s missing is historically-informed performances (HIP), and it’s time we changed that!” The orchestra will be performing at the gorgeous, newly-remodeled Monumental Church which is also 200 years old. “We are so pleased to be able to connect with Monumental Church for this performance and I can’t think of a more perfect venue for our inaugural debut!”

There will be a free pre-concert lecture for ticket holders. Concert tickets are $30 for regular admission and $25 for seniors and students. Mannheim Rocket’s website is www.mannheimrocket.org and tickets can be purchased at https://www.artful.ly/store/events/4695.

About Mannheim Rocket: Mannheim Rocket is the premier period-instrument ensemble of Richmond Virginia. Named for one of the musical innovations of the Mannheim school where composers introduced a number of novel ideas into the orchestral music of their day, one of which was the Mannheim Rocket, a swiftly ascending passage typically having a rising arpeggiated melodic line together with a crescendo starting at the bottom of the orchestra rising swiftly to the top of the orchestra. Mannheim Rocket was founded in 2013 by the award-winning conductor and clarinetist, Richard Spece. Spece envisioned an ensemble of the highest caliber able to present the musics of the past in an informed way with brilliance and passion. Mannheim Rocket consists of world class musicians dedicated to the perfection of their art.

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