Final Poway Symphony Orchestra concert of the season to feature guest artist

The Poway Symphony Orchestra’s 10th anniversary season is coming to an end with one final concert featuring a special guest artist.

Piano soloist Chetan Tierra will be joining the orchestra in its final concert of the season.

The concert will begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road. Admission is free, but a $10 donation is suggested to help defray costs for the community orchestra. For more information on the concert, visit www.powaysymphony.org.

The final concert of the season will feature the orchestra, which is made up entirely of volunteer community members, ranging from professional musicians to amateur enthusiasts, performing Hérold’s “Zampa Overture” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21.”

The orchestra will be joined by Tierra on Edvard Grieg’s “Piano Concerto in A Minor, op. 16.”

Tierra previously performed with the orchestra as a guest soloist in March of 2013.

Tierra is an American concert pianist, composer, and songwriter. He has performed on concert stages across America, Europe, Asia and Africa in solo recital, with orchestra, and with his art pop group, The Mosaic Quartet.

“It’s been a wonderful experience with the orchestra this season,” said John LoPiccolo, who joined the orchestra as its new conductor this season. “At each concert, I can see the artistic and musical growth in the orchestra. It has been working out really great, it’s been a tremendous success.”

LoPiccolo joined the Poway Symphony Orchestra following the departure of longtime conductor Warren Torns, who resigned to pursue an opportunity in the field of music education at a local university. Torns conducted the orchestra from 2009 until he left in September 2014. Torns conducted over a dozen concerts for the orchestra during his time as conductor.

This grand finale concert finishes off the orchestra’s anniversary season, which also included an anniversary gala concert in March.

Bo Matthys, who does publicity for the orchestra, said that attendance and recognition for the group has been growing in the past couple of years. “Audiences have been growing steadily in the recent past. The orchestra has gained momentum in raising its profile, both musically and in community recognition,” he said.

The orchestra was also recognized by Supervisor Dianne Jacob for their 10th anniversary with a certificate presented to them at the gala.

With this concert, the orchestra’s season will conclude. It will kick off its 11th season sometime in early September. Anyone interested in joining the orchestra, which is operated through the Poway Adult School, is welcome to contact LoPiccolo at conductorjohn17@gmail.com or visit www.powaysymphony.org for more details.