It's Sunday afternoon. Do you know where your Symphony is?

Coming to WFCR starting this Sunday:  A series of six orchestral concerts that cover the gamut from Alan (Hovhaness) to Wagner (Richard)...not to mention that one-man gamut, guitarist Denis Azabagic.  More terrific soloists than you can shake a stick at, unless you're the conductor.  Speaking of whom, a maestro who exudes non-stop excitement and energy — and he's pretty thrilling on-stage too!  Roof-raising symphonies.  American masterworks (nice programming, K-Rho!).  Mars, the Bringer of War.  Prometheus, the Bringer of Fire.  Mickey Mouse, the Bringer of Brooms.  But wait — there's more!

Yes, music lovers, it's WFCR broadcast series of the complete 2011-2012 classical concerts by your Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Kevin Rhodes, conductor.  The voluble, unstumpable Dr.  Rhodes will also join me for pithy commentary on the selections.  Tune in Sunday afternoons at 1:00 during Walter Carroll's classical music show, and hear what great music is happening in our midst.  Here's the complete program listing:

May 27
Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Overture
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto (Axel Strauss, violin)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

June 3
Barber: Adagio for Strings
William Schuman: Symphony No. 3
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3  (Joyce Yang, piano)

June 10
Wagner: Siegfried Idyll
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme  (Julian Schwarz, cello)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7

June 17
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Harris: Symphony No.3
Hovhaness: Guitar Concerto  (Denis Azabagic, guitar)
Brahms: Academic Festival Overture

June 24
William Schuman: Symphony No. 5
Mozart:  Piano Concerto No. 25 (Spencer Myer, piano)
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 2

July 1
Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Bolcom: Prometheus  (Jeffrey Biegel, piano, Springfield Symphony Chorus,
Nikki Stoia, director)
Holst: The Planets (Women of the Springfield Symphony Chorus, Nikki Stoia,
director)