The Texarkana Symphony Orchestra will go timeless for the six months of its 2008 and 2009 season.

That’s the theme for TSO’s next series of concerts, which starts in September and rolls into March of next year.

Music director and conductor Marc-André Bougie explained each year has a distinct theme behind the classical musical selections. Last year, TSO explored the rich music of different countries.

“This year with ‘timeless,’ we really want to hit on timeless music or timeless concepts,” said Bougie.

“The American West” kicks the season off Sept. 9 with classical music with an Americana twist. The concert includes composers Aaron Copland, Elmer Bernstein, William Grant Still, as well as a guest artist, cowboy poet Frank Oden, who will recite poems along with a medley of American music.

“It’s music for family fun, truly,” said Bougie.

The dress code for that night? Blue jeans and cowboy getup are requested, said Andrew Clark, the TSO’s new executive director. And the conductor may even don a cowboy hat.

Beethoven’s “Ode to Freedom” is on tap for Nov. 18, a presentation paying tribute to American veterans.

It’s truly one of the great symphonies of all time, said Bougie.

“The Beethoven concert will feature some emerging artists as well as well-known folks. We can’t really release the name yet but we’re working on bringing back one of the folks we had last year to sing the Beethoven’s Ninth with us, as well as three guest artists who are emerging artists, young artists from the Dallas/Fort Worth area,” said Clark, noting local choruses and choirs will also be featured.

This year’s “Christmas Special” will present Handel’s “Messiah” with Bradley Hunter Welch as the guest organist for the organ concerto that evening. Also, the Texarkana Chamber Singers will sing the great choruses from the “Messiah.”

Bougie said the TSO will perform the two concerts for Christmas on Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. They’ll be performed at First United Methodist Church, Ark.

On Jan. 13, TSO presents “Eternal Classics,” including Mozart, Haydn and others. Local music teacher Clayton Harris will be the trumpet soloist, and the Mozart selection here is the “Jupiter Symphony.”

“The classics are the essence of timeless,” Bougie said.

Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Shostakovich are presented in the “Russian Masterworks” concert on March 10. Andrej Kurti will be the featured violin soloist. Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet” is among the pieces scheduled to be performed.

A Black History Month celebration concert is planned for Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. at Lonoke Baptist Church. The details for that show are yet to be finalized.

Tickets for the season go on sale to the general public Aug. 1.



(For more information, check out the Website www.texarkanasymphony.org. (The Website update will be completed soon.)

And for tickets when they go on sale, call the Perot Theatre box office at 903-792-4992 or visit www.trahc.org.

Except for the Black History Month concert and the Christmas concert, all shows will be at the Perot Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. with a 6:45 p.m. preview talk led by Bougie.)