Visual Art Meets The Orchestra In South Dakota Symphony's PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION Weekend

The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) presents Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition in an incredible multimedia event on Saturday, Nov 23 at 7:30 PM at the Washington Pavilion. On Sunday, Nov 24 at 2:30 PM, the SDSO performs a special Family Concert presentation of Pictures at an Exhibition. This performance is free for children and serves as the perfect introduction to the orchestra for people of all ages. Featuring animated artwork projected onto the big screen above the orchestra during the performance, Pictures at an Exhibition showcases how a composer brings paintings to life through music.

Delta David Gier, Music Director of the SDSO, says this is one of the most accessible programs for new audiences to experience with the orchestra. "The arts have always enjoyed a symbiotic relationship, with inspiration flowing freely between art forms," says Gier. "This week's program includes three pieces of music, all inspired by visual art. There will be projections of the artwork during two of the pieces - and live art created onstage during the third! As an audience member you will be able to immerse yourself in two worlds at once and experience the connection the composers had with the paintings which inspired them."

Before the concert begins, audiences will be able to explore paintings inspired by Pictures at an Exhibition created by local students from Roosevelt High School, Edison Middle School, and New Technology High School. The first half of the evening concert presents Paul Hindemith's Mathis der Maler (Matthias the Painter) and Adam Schoenberg's Finding Rothko. Visuals will be projected on the big screen above the orchestra for two pieces, and during Finding Rothko the SDSO has invited Joe Schaeffer, Rehfeld's artist-in-residence, to paint a work of art during the performance that will be inspired by the piece.

The weekend of performances is sponsored by Sanford Health. Pictures at an Exhibition is Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 PM. The SDSO Family Concert is Sunday, November 24 at 2:30 PM. Both performances are held at the Washington Pavilion.

At 6:30 PM, Music Director Delta David Gier leads a 30-minute Pre-Concert Insights lecture in the Mary W. Sommervold Hall to enrich the performance with background on the repertoire. It is free to ticket holders. At 7:00 PM, Assistant Conductor Thomas Fortner leads 7 @ 7 in the third floor lobby of the Washington Pavilion. This short pre-concert discussion highlights seven interesting features of the concert.

Single Tickets for Pictures at an Exhibition on Saturday, November 23 are $10-$50 and are on sale at www.sdsymphony.org, through the Washington Pavilion Box Office at 301 S Main Ave, or by calling the Box Office at (605) 367-6000. Fees may apply. People who have never attended a concert with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra can receive their first concert free through Crescendo. For more information on Crescendo and other special offers, visit www.sdsymphony.org/offers/

Single Tickets for the SDSO Family Concert on Sunday, November 24 are free for children and $10 for adults. Before the performance, children are invited to the first floor lobby to try instruments in an 'instrument petting zoo.'