Symphony to present ‘Fiddlin’ Around’
The Butler County Symphony Orchestra welcomes Maestro Daniel Wiley to the podium once again Saturday evening, April 12, for the orchestra’s next performance.
“Fiddlin’ Around” takes place at 7:30 p.m. in Butler’s Intermediate High School Auditorium. Maestro Wiley is one of three finalists selected for the position of music director of the Butler County Symphony Orchestra, and also will present a preconcert program at 6:30 p.m., according to a news release from the orchestra association.
Reserved seat tickets are available presale at $30 for adults, and $10 for children and students by visiting the symphony’s website at Butlersymphony.org. Following presale, available tickets are sold at the door on the night of the concert at $35 for adults, and $12 for children and students.
The concert will feature the Broadway violinist and fiddler Caitlin Warbelow, who, along with the Butler Symphony Orchestra, will present the audience with memorable music from the Irish, Acadian and Southern fiddle traditions.
Warbelow is a violinist and entrepreneur in New York and hails from a family of Alaskan bush pilots and pioneers. She has performed for the critically acclaimed Tony Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated Broadway musical “Come from Away,” which she joined in 2015 for productions in Seattle; Washington, D.C.; and Toronto before opening on Broadway in 2017.
Prior to joining “Come from Away,” Warbelow performed in the pit orchestra for Sting’s Broadway musical, “The Last Ship.” In 2019, in collaboration with conductor Robert Franz and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Warbelow commissioned and premiered a sold-out, full-length program of traditional American and Celtic music arranged for fiddle and symphony by the Golden Globe-nominated Irish composer Brian Byrne.
As an added musical feature, the North Allegheny Fiddlers will be performing with the symphony. The group comprises students in grades six through 12 that participate in a weeklong workshop at their school during the summer months. Music is taught and learned in the traditional aural style, by ear without the use of written notes. The students work to master a variety of styles including Scottish, Irish, Old Timey, Scandinavian, Finnish and Cajun music.
The group has performed at dozens of locations throughout the North Hills area, including retirement homes, folk festivals, fall festivals, country clubs, church festivals/picnics, the Butler January Ice Jam, local bluegrass festivals, ethnic food festivals and various school functions. North Allegheny Fiddlers also played with the Pittsburgh Philharmonic and Butler Symphony Orchestra.
The Butler County Symphony Orchestra also will honor three distinguished individuals at the concert.
Juliette Trudeau, who has served as principal percussionist with the Butler County Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years, will receive the Outstanding Music Award.
Heather Groves-Edwards, director of choral music at Slippery Rock Area middle and high schools, will receive the Music Educator Award.
Ronald McKissick, who has served in various volunteer capacities over the years and is a member of Butler County Symphony Association Board of Directors, will receive the Symphony Service Award.
