"An International Christmas Concert" is the theme for a concert to be presented by the Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, at The Ritz Civic Center in downtown Blytheville.
The concert is part of the 2010-11 Series, presented by the Arts Council of Mississippi County.
The group is a nine-member string ensemble on international tour from Krakow, Poland. They are represented in the United States by "The Messiah Project" of Springfield, Mo. The orchestra was organized in 1993 to perform at the "Young Composers Forum" and the commitment of the ensemble members resulted in the continuation of the event.
They operate under the auspices of the Academy of Music in Krakow.
The ensemble has taken part in such international festivals as the Organ Music Days, the Canadian Music Festival and Silesian Day of Contemporary Music.
In 1994, they received the Best Performance Award from the Chapter of Critics at the Young Composer's Forum.
The director for the group's U.S. tour is the founding conductor Piotr Sulkowski, who has been hailed by critics as "masterful and brilliant, creating the epitome of instrumental elegance" and "a talented interpreter, able to capture the sweep of a piece without neglecting detail."
The group will also present a concert for the students and staff of Blytheville Intermediate School at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2. This program is provided by The Arts Council at no cost to the school or students.
This program will usher in the holiday season with familiar folk and classic sounds of Christmas from around the world. The performance will feature a wide variety of music of the season.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 each for students or groups. Children 12 and under will be admitted free with an adult. For more information, call The Ritz at 870-762-1744.