“Forward March!” School Concerts, February 7 & 8

The Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra (GCSO) will present its annual School Concerts on Thursday, February 7 and Friday, February 8.  More than 3,600 elementary and middle school students from South Mississippi will be bused to the Saenger Theatre in Biloxi to attend these concerts.  Timothy James Bergman conducts the GCSO in four 1-hour concerts which will be presented each day at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.  There is a $2 fee for each student, teacher, and chaperone who attends the concerts.

This year’s theme is “Forward March!”  A variety of symphonic marches—brash or delicate, big or small—will be performed to demonstrate how orchestras are used to paint a musical description of each musical selection.  The program will include The Light Cavalry Overture by Suppé, Rakoczy March by Berlioz, Funeral March of a Marionette by Gounod, The Toy Trumpet by Raymond Scott, Liberty Bell March by Sousa, and Tchaikovsky’s Marche miniature and Slavonic March.

All schools (public, parochial, and private) who are interested in attending must reserve seats.  Reservation forms must be filled out and returned as soon as possible to the symphony office.  Forms may be downloaded by clicking here.

Gulf Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra (GCSYO)

The Gulf Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra was founded in 2001 as an education program of the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra. Over 40 Coast students are accepted by audition from the three Coast counties, representing public, private and home schools.  Weekly rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings at Gulfport High School and the orchestra presents three major public concerts during the season. Opportunities arise for the whole orchestra, as well as smaller groups, to perform for a variety of functions.

For inquiries about auditions or for further information, please call the Gulf Coast Symphony: (228) 435-9800.

GCSYO Concerts & Performances 2007-2008

Sunday, October 28  - Community Concert
3:00 p.m. MGCCC, Jefferson Davis Fine Arts Auditorium

Saturday, November 3 - Exhibition Concert, “Peter Anderson Art Festival”
11:00 a.m. Walter Anderson Museum

Friday, November 23  - “Whitney Holiday Peppermint Pops”
7:00 p.m.Saenger Theatre
Appearing with the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, January 19  - Community Concert
1:00 p.m. Edgewater Mall, Biloxi

Friday, February 22 - Concerts for Gulf Area Schools
9:00 & 11:00 a.m.  MGCCC, Jefferson Davis Fine Arts Auditorium
School Performances Collaboration with WINGS Performing Arts, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

Sunday, February 24 - Community Concert
3:00 p.m. MGCCC, Jefferson Davis Fine Arts Auditorium
Collaboration with WINGS Performing Arts, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

Sunday, April 27  - Community Concert
3:00 p.m. MGCCC, Jefferson Davis Fine Arts Auditorium

Timothy James Bergman, GCSYO Music Director

Timothy James Bergman received a Bachelor of Music degree from Stetson University, Master of Music from the University of Connecticut, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Miami.  He was Assistant Conductor of the Baton Rouge Symphony during 1995-2001 and his guest conducting has included the Alabama Symphony, Austin Symphony, and the Rose City Chamber Orchestra in Portland, Oregon.  He has also been a guest faculty conductor of the University of Connecticut and the New World School of the Arts in Miami.

Dr. Bergman is now in his 17th year as a music director of youth orchestras which included positions with the Greater Miami Youth Symphonies and Louisiana Youth Orchestras in Baton Rouge.  He was appointed Music Director of the Gulf Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra when it was founded in 2001.

As an administrator, Dr. Bergman served for over two years as Executive Director of the Louisiana Alliance for Arts Education, part of a network of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which worked closely with the State Department of Education and Arts Council to create initiatives for securing an arts curriculum in Louisiana schools.  He served three years as Executive Director of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra & Conservatory of Music in Lafayette, Louisiana.  In July of this year, he was appointed Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra.