Union Symphony Orchestras are worth hearing

A hidden musical gem exists in Union County.

The Union Symphony Orchestra and Youth Symphony Orchestra perform concerts in our area with local and regional musicians. This year, because of the need, they added the Junior Youth Orchestra.

“We are in our infancy,” Kim Norwood, the executive director, said. “This is the inaugural season for the Junior Youth Orchestra.”

The Union Symphony Orchestra is in its seventh season. The Union Symphony Youth Orchestra (USYO) is in its fourth and has 75 members.

Most of the youth orchestra members are in high school and age out at 21-years-old. The Junior Orchestra allows auditions from any age up to ninth grade. Numerous programs are offered for the youth, including Allegro Strings for beginners and Prelude Strings for intermediate, as well as ensemble groups that the students have formed.

All of the feeder groups within the orchestras are busy with performances throughout Union County. But many of the musicians come from counties beyond Union – like York, Gaston, Chesterfield and Mecklenburg.

And they’re making an impact.

Recent performances by The Union Symphony Orchestras have included an opening season concert, “The Answer,” with conductor Richard Rosenberg, who performed Dvoøák’s Violin concerto, opus 53.

A student performance of “The Pirates of Penzance” featured the opera of the Wingate University Music Department. A Christmas program was held at Central United Methodist Church, and a winter concert “Bursting Into Song” featured the works of Stravinsky and Raymond Scott.

“Many people said a small community like ours couldn’t have a professional symphony orchestra, but we’re proving them wrong....one note at a time,” said Martha Allen, a member of the board of directors, in an email.

The home office for the Union Symphony and the nonprofit parent organization The Union Symphony Society Inc. is at 211 N. Main St. Suite C-1 in downtown Monroe. The phone number is 704-283-2525. For more information, visit www.unionsymphony.org.