Wise, VA – The Pro-Art Association’s Picnic with the Arts Summer Series will culminate with the 10th anniversary of the beloved Symphony by the Lake concert in partnership with The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. Bring a picnic and take a trip “Around the World” at sunset on Saturday, July 24th on the lawn by the lake at UVA Wise. The concert will feature music from every continent—even Antarctica!
Patrons new and old are invited to kick off the start of Pro-Art’s 45th season. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and spread out on the lawn for an evening full of fresh air and beautiful music. This event is free and open to the public. In the event of inclement weather, please check proartva.org for a rain location after 5:00 PM on the performance day.
The concert program will include music from the popular films Aladdin, The Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Lion King, along with the timeless standards, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Galop” from the Overture to William Tell. Bass-Baritone Michael Rodgers will join the 75-year-old orchestra to sing Broadway classics “The Impossible Dream” and “Ol’ Man River.”
Symphony of the Mountains has a strong and proud heritage. The orchestra began when a small group of musicians dreamed of having a civic orchestra in 1946. Twenty-seven musicians attended the first rehearsal and the number quickly grew to more than 40. In the 80’s and 90’s the orchestra grew steadily and increased its outreach. The commitment to service now encompasses the entire region, without regard for state or county boundaries. Today the orchestra consists of more than 70 professional musicians and is conducted by Cornelia Laemmli Orth.
Pro-Art’s mission is to promote the arts and expand accessibility to cultural experiences for residents and students in Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton. For more information about our planned performances, please visit proartva.org. You can find the Pro-Art Association on social media @ProArtVA.
This performance is supported in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. If you have any questions, please visit proartva.org, call the office at (276) 376-4520, or send an email to pro-art@uvawise.edu.