Arkansas Symphony Orchestra to Present Outdoor Concert Nov. 15

Ballet Arkansas and Arkansas Symphony Orchestra are pleased to co-present an open-air concert on Sunday, November 15, at 3PM in downtown Little Rock.

The concert will be held in front of Matt McLeod’s “Beneath the Surface” mural, through funds provided by the City of Little Rock and the ArtPlace grant. “First Round” is a collaborative concert designed for the times, bringing together two of the State’s cultural institutions to bring arts to our community in a socially distant setting.

Combining the talents of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Arkansas at a time when seated performances have been scaled back in response to the pandemic, the concert will provide the public with an innovative way to experience and enjoy the performing arts.

“This project re-imagines the uses of the city’s public spaces to provide a socially distanced and safe environment to experience the beauty of music and dance,” says Catherine Fothergill, associate artistic director of Ballet Arkansas.

According to a press release, the concert will take place in front of the Matt McLeod Mural in the Best Park parking lot on Main Street between the intersection of 6th and Main Street and will feature live performances by both organizations over the course of an hour. The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will play Golijov’s “Last Round”, Barber’s “Adagio for String”, and Augusta Read Thomas’ “Magic Box” and Ballet Arkansas dancers Matthew Larson, Paul Tillman, Megan Tillman, Hannah Bradshaw, and Isabelle Urben will perform new choreography to all three works.

This concert is free to the public and reservations are required to attend. Reservations open on Monday, November 9. This concert has been approved by the Arkansas Department of Health. Masks are required for all attendees in concurrence with the Governor's mandate and all non-household members should be socially distant by at least 6 feet. Signage marked seating areas, and hand sanitizing stations will be available to provide for the safety of all involved. Patrons should bring their own chair or blanket for the performance. Performance details subject to change.

Visit balletarkansas.org/tickets or arkansassymphonyorchestra.org to learn more and make a reservation, beginning on November 9.