Arkansas Symphony Orchestra to Present New Festival in Little Rock Nov. 13

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Philip Mann, Music Director and Conductor, introduces Symphony Local, a new festival to accompany the second concert of the 2018-2019 Stella  Boyle Smith Masterworks season, Elgar's Enigma on Saturday, November 10, and Sunday, November 11, at the Robinson Center.

According to a press release, Symphony Local will celebrate local community organizations, including Arkansas Foodbank, and local arts and crafts vendors. Food trucks and drink vendors include Lost 40 Brewing, Count Porkula, Adobo-to-Go, Arkansas Heart Hospital Food Truck 'Food from the Heart,' Adams Mobile BBQ and more. The festival takes place before the concert from 5:30 – 7PM on Saturday and 1PM to 2:30PM on Sunday and admission is free with a concert ticket to Elgar's Enigma.

The concerts begin at 7:30PM on Saturday, November 10, and 3PM on Sunday, November 11. Guest conductor Sarah Ioannides will begin the concert with Joan Tower’s Made in America. The program continues with Smetana’s The Moldau and Šárka from his set of symphonic poems entitled Má Vlast, and concludes with Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The Masterworks Series is sponsored by the Stella Boyle Smith Trust. Elgar’s Enigma is sponsored by Doubletree Hotel.

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Arkansas Foodbank will collect food donations during Symphony Local. Anyone who brings 10 or more non-perishable food items will receive a voucher good for one pair of tickets to any upcoming ASO concert in the 2018-2019 season. Detailed information about the Symphony Local festival and food drive may be found at their website.

All concert ticket holders are also invited to Concert Conversations, a pre-concert talk one hour before each Masterworks concert in the Upper Tier Lobby of the Robinson Center. These talks feature insights from the Maestro and guest artists, and feature musical examples to enrich the concert experience.

Tickets are $16, $36, $57, and $68; active duty military and student tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at www.ArkansasSymphony.org; at the Robinson Center street-level box office beginning 90 minutes prior to a concert; or by phone at 501-666-1761, ext. 100. All Arkansas students grades K-12 are admitted to Sunday’s matinee free of charge with the purchase of an adult ticket using the Entergy Kids’ Ticket, downloadable at arkansassymphony.org/freekids.