January 8, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Union Bank & Trust LolliPops Concert: A Lemony Snicket Mystery
Saturday, January 19^th at 11AM

Pre-concert Festivities starting at 10AM

Dominion Energy Center for the Performing Arts

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 – Richmond, Virginia: “Where exactly were the violins on the night in question? Did anyone see the harp? Is the trumpet protesting a bit too much? In this perplexing mystery, everyone seems to have a motive, everyone has an alibi, and everyone has a tune to play.” The Richmond Symphony invites you to help the Inspector solve the crime during A Lemony Snicket Mystery. Hear for yourself what exactly took place during that fateful, “well-orchestrated” performance.

The program for this concert will feature the children’s book The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket, set to music by Nathaniel Stookey with narration from Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Andrew Firda. The concert also includes Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Rossini’s Overture to Il barbiere di Siviglia  (The Barber of Seville), and more! This year’s Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Student Concerto Competition winner is 15 year-old cellist Romain-Olivier Gray. He will perform the first movement from Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor during this concert.

About the Narrator: Andrew Firda is delighted to appear at the Richmond Symphony where he and his family have enjoyed many past Lollipops performances. In Richmond, he has performed at Firehouse Theatre, Virginia Repertory Theatre, Richmond Triangle Players, Cadence Theatre, The Modlin Center for the Arts for the University of Richmond and VCU. He has appeared Off-Broadway with The Pearl Theatre. Television credits include Law & Order: SVU, One Life to Live, As the World Turns, The History Channel; and online with The Onion News Network. He received an MFA at Ohio University’s Professional Actor training program.

About Romain-Olivier Gray: Romain-Olivier’s performance is the result of winning first prize in the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League’s Student Concerto Competition. He started playing cello when he was 6 years old and plays in orchestras and chamber music groups including the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Program. Romain-Olivier is in 9th grade, and is homeschooled in both French and English. In addition, he studies piano and is a competitive swimmer.

About the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Concerto Competition: Once each season, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League (RSOL) hosts a student concerto competition to encourage and recognize talented young musicians from Virginia. First-prize winners receive a cash award plus an invitation to perform with the Richmond Symphony during the 2018-19 season. The competition is open to Virginia students in elementary through senior high school who play piano, violin, viola, cello, string bass, guitar, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp or percussion.

This Union Bank & Trust LolliPops concert will be held at the Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Energy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, January 19th at 11am. The Richmond Symphony will be led by Associate Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin. Join us for a free pre-concert festival an hour beforehand in Rhythm Hall, featuring our instrument petting zoo, McGruff the Crime Dog, the VCU Department of Forensic Science, a SWAT vehicle, family-friendly activities, and much more. Enjoy interactive activities that will enhance the whole family’s Symphony experience.

Our pre-concert festival is presented by the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Sponsors will be presenting fun activities for kids of all ages, including a photo booth, to get concert-goers in the mood for a mysterious celebration! The festival begins at 10AM in Rhythm Hall. The family-friendly concert begins in the Carpenter Theatre at 11AM.

Union Bank & Trust LolliPops concerts are Sensory-Friendly and designed to create a performance experience where all audiences are welcome, including those with autism or other sensory sensitivities. An ASL Interpreter will be available at the pre-concert festival and during all LolliPops performances.

Find more details at: https://www.richmondsymphony.com/event/lemony-snicket-mystery/2019-01-19/

Tickets are $10 for children and $20 for adults at richmondsymphony.com or by calling 1.800.514.ETIX.

The LolliPops Series is sponsored by Union Bank & Trust. Pre-concert festivities are sponsored by the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. The series media sponsor is Richmond Family Magazine. Special thanks to Music & Arts for providing the instrument petting zoo.

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Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 11:00 AM

Richmond Symphony

LolliPops 3

Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor

Andrew Firda, narrator

About the Richmond Symphony

Kicking off its 61st Season in September 2018, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia. The organization includes an orchestra of more than 70 professional musicians, the 150-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and more than 260 students in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra programs. Each season, more than 200,000 members of the community enjoy live concerts and radio broadcasts. The Symphony also provides educational outreach programs to over 55,000 students and teachers each year. The Symphony was recently named one of 21 American orchestras selected as a leader in orchestra innovation by the League of American Orchestras through its Futures Fund Initiative. The Richmond Symphony is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Visit www.richmondsymphony.com for more information.

Contacts:
Erin Frye
Marketing and PR Manager
804.788.4717 ext. 121
efrye@richmondsymphony.com
Scott Dodson
Director of Advancement and Patron Communications
804.788.4717 ext. 120
sdodson@richmondsymphony.com