The UTC Symphony Orchestra will join with Grammy-winning trumpeter Dr. David Spencer and UTC piano professor Dr. Sin-Hsing Tsai for a concert in the Roland Hayes Concert Hall at the UTC Fine Arts Center, (corner of Palmetto and Vine St.) on Saturday, Feb. 7. The concert begins at 8 p.m. and is open to the general public free of charge.

The concert will feature three major works: Beethoven’s Ruins of Athens Overture, Purcell’s Sonata for Trumpet and String Orchestra, and Shostakovich: Concerto #1 in C minor for Piano, Trumpet, and Strings, Op. 35. Beethoven’s Overture to the Ruins of Athens was written for the opening of a theater in Pest and depicts Minerva awaking from a 2000 year sleep to discover Athens in ruins, conquered by the Turks whose popular Emporer Franz preserves Athenian culture and reasoning. Purcell’s Sonata for Trumpet and String Orchestra is a virtuosic work for trumpet that is better known from its main theme being quoted by Britten in his Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and by the Who as the opening bars of “Pinball Wizard.” The Shostakovich Concerto for Trumpet, Piano and Strings in C minor (Op. 35) reveals a less dour side of the Russian master than usually presented. The work shows jazz influences and Shostakovich quotes himself and other composers frequently throughout the piece.

Dr. David Spencer has a diverse professional career in orchestral, chamber music and jazz, commercial, film, and popular music with recordings in Europe, Korea, Japan, and the US. He served as principal trumpet with the Seoul Philharmonic, Manhatten Chamber Orchestra and Sinfonica de Asturias in Spain. He has appeared on television and in recording with Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Freddie Hubbard, Michael Brecker, James Moody, and Marvin Stamm. He is on faculty at University of Memphis. He has a Grammy for his work with the One-o-Clock Lab band.

Dr. Sin-Hsing Tsai is a UC Foundation Associate Professor of Music at UTC. Her career took off at the age of eight when she was admitted to the prestigious government program for musically talented children in her native city Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Raised and trained in Argentina, Germany and the U.S., she has won numerous awards. Her performing experience extends beyond the concert hall to broadcasts in Buenos Aires and Chattanooga and source music for film and theater productions in Los Angeles. She has enjoyed global success as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher.

The UTC Symphony Orchestra is the most advanced orchestral ensemble at UTC. Led by Maestro Jooyong Ahn, its educational purpose is to provide a pre-professional experience for applied music and music education majors and for musically talented students majoring in other fields. It presents several full-length concerts each year, including one opera. Its repertoire is drawn from major symphonic works of the 18th through 20th centuries. It also functions in support of faculty, guest, and student soloists.

For further information contact the UTC Music Dept. Office, 425-4601.