The Fraser Valley Symphony opens its 34th season in style this weekend with an afternoon of toe-tapping marches.
An all-orchestra concert Sunday titled Mighty Marches will feature music by French, Russian, American, British, German, Finnish and Norwegian composers from the 19th and 20th centuries.
The program will include well-knowing pieces such as Funeral March of a Marionette by Gounod, March of the Toys by Herbert, and Marche Sl av by Tchaikovsky, along with more familiar and new selections.
No longer associated exclusively with marching military bands, marches have long been a staple in the classical orchestral genre in many forms. With a variety of music ranging from the grand ceremonial procession to the whimsical and the mysterious, the program’s bold rhythms and varied styles aim to delight all ages.
The Fraser Valley Symphony includes players from Abbotsford and surrounding communities.
The concert takes place Sunday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, 32315 South Fraser Way. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $5 for children 12 years old and younger.
Tickets can be bought in advance at King’s Music and Tourism Abbotsford Visitor Centre, the Pantry Natural Foods in Mission, and online at fraservalleysymphony.org.
Tickets will also be sold at the door, as available.