Volunteers still needed for July 9 concert in Randolph

We're still searching for a few great people to assist in the smooth production of our summer festival tour concert at Three Stallion Inn in Randolph on Saturday, July 9. Volunteers help park cars, rip tickets, pass out program books, and more. You receive a free t-shirt and you are the first people on site, so you will be able to secure prime real estate on the picnic field. Come join us! E-mail Katie@vso.org to sign up or if you have questions. Keep reading!

On Stage with the VSO at the Summer Festival Tour

During our Summer Festival Tour, we have some special guests that join us on stage from time to time. We often have guest conductors and guest chimists. There's a point in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture when the chimes are whacked in a very random and obvious way, the composer's method of invoking thoughts of church bells. This Fourth of July, we welcome David Schraffenberger, who provided us with this hilarious introductory verbiage. Look for David on stage on July 4 in Shelburne.

David Schraffenberger is a recovering roadie. He manages Production Advantage, Inc., a nice little catalog company serving the live entertainment industry. He's also on the Board of Trustees for IA Stagehands Local 919, Burlington, VT and the VP of the VT/NH Marketing Group. See if you can pick out the delicate melody of the chime part from the opening theme of the popular cartoon, Futurama, masterfully woven into the intricate chime part Tchaikovsky wrote into the 1812 overture.

Keep reading!

Summer Festival Tour: What to do the day of the concert?

You have your tickets for a 2011 TD Bank Summer Festival Tour concert. You have decided on your picnic dinner menu, the perfect wine pairing, and your lawn chairs are in the car. You wake up on the day of the concert and there are a few clouds in the sky. Will the concert be outdoors? We receive an inundation of calls in our office from concertgoers wondering if we are going to be outdoors or indoors. Here is a guide to learning about this important decision that happens each concert day.

1. Wait. We make our rain calls at different times each day, but we absolutely make a decision by 3 p.m.

2. Check the web. We will post our rain decision on the website (www.vso.org -- check the scrolling calendar in the bottom left hand column) and on our Facebook page.

3. Listen to the radio. We report our rain call decisions to local radio stations and VPR. Listen in for an announcement.

4. Pick up the phone. Call the VSO office at (800) 876-9293 and listen to the main outgoing message. We update this information daily during the tour.

5. Get directions. If we are going inside, links to Google maps of the rain sites can be found on the event pages.

We'll see you there!

Keep reading for the complete concert schedule.

2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourFriday, July 1, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Sugarbush Resort, Warren
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSaturday, July 2, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Hildene Meadowlands, Manchester
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSunday, July 3, 2011, gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Grafton Ponds, Grafton
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourMonday, July 4, 2011, gates open at 5:15 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Shelburne Farms, Shelburne
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourThursday, July 7, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Mountain Top Inn, Chittenden
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourFriday, July 8, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Quechee Polo Grounds, Quechee
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSaturday, July 9, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Three Stallion Inn, Randolph
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSunday, July 10, 2011, gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow, Stowe
Visit the event page Keep reading!

We still need a few helping hands!

We still need volunteer helpers to assist in the smooth execution of our summer festival tour concerts. Volunteers arrive before general public and get to choose prime real estate in the concert fields. Volunteers receive a free t-shirt in exchange for assistance in selling tickets, ripping tickets, handing out program books, parking cars, and more. We especially need help rounding out our teams for the July 8 concert in Quechee and the July 9 concert in Randolph. Thanks! Keep reading!

Summer Festival Tour a "big smile"

Keep reading for the complete schedule.


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourFriday, July 1, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Sugarbush Resort, Warren
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSaturday, July 2, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Hildene Meadowlands, Manchester
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSunday, July 3, 2011, gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Grafton Ponds, Grafton
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourMonday, July 4, 2011, gates open at 5:15 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Shelburne Farms, Shelburne
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourThursday, July 7, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Mountain Top Inn, Chittenden
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourFriday, July 8, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Quechee Polo Grounds, Quechee
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSaturday, July 9, 2011, gates open at 5 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Three Stallion Inn, Randolph
Visit the event page


2011 TD Bank Summer Festival TourSunday, July 10, 2011, gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking, concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow, Stowe
Visit the event page Keep reading!

King Arthur Flour Giveaway at our Summer Festival Tour Concerts!

We're treating you like royalty this summer with eight chances to win a gift pack from King Arthur Flour, only instead of a sceptre, this giveaway prize will inspire you to grab the nearest wire whisk! The iconic Vermont brand has donated a prize valued at $75 to be given away at seven of our eight summer festival tour concerts (not July 10). Visit our website for a complete schedule of concerts. Cut to the chase and visit the Flynn Regional Box Office to buy tickets.

Each prize includes a King Arthur Flour tote bag, an apron, a huge cookbook, a plastic bowl scraper embossed with the King Arthur Flour logo, 2 boxes of King Arthur Flour scone mix, and a VSO t-shirt and sticker.

Only concert attendees will be allowed to enter this giveaway. An entry form will be located inside your program book at the concert. We hope to see you at our 2011 TD Bank Summer Festival Tour!

Keep reading!

2011 TD Bank Summer Festival Tour dates announced

Enjoy music fit for a king…on a soft summer evening in Vermont! The Vermont Symphony Orchestra presents its popular TD Bank Summer Festival Tour in eight outdoor locations this summer with a program entitled “Symphony Royale,” Anthony Princiotti conducting. From Friday, July 1 through Sunday, July 10, the Orchestra will perform in eight idyllic mountain and lakeside settings across the state. Tickets are now available through the Flynn Regional Box Office and will be available at local outlets by the end of the week.

Handel’s musical fireworks begin the program and Northstar’s real-life fireworks conclude it, in this homage to royalty. Our noble procession includes Scheherazade’s Kalendar Prince, the King and Queen of Troy, and the King of Siam. In honor of Independence Day, we celebrate our freedom from monarchical rule with America’s own version of royalty, Duke Ellington! The performance is crowned, as always, by the majestic 1812 Overture and selections from Sousa, the March King.

Keep reading for the schedule and program or view it on our website by clicking here.


“The VSO is the only orchestra that actually tours the state each summer,” says executive director Alan Jordan. “All of us look forward to the summer tour. It’s become a cherished summer tradition. This summer, we’re especially lucky to be the only outdoor concert at Shelburne Farms,” he says. “So we hope people will get their tickets, gather their picnics, and join us under the stars in a town nearby this July.”

Gates at the various sites will open for picnicking between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. depending on location. Tickets range from $31-34 for adults; free to $17 for children under age 12. Tickets purchased at the gate will be subject to a surcharge, so advance purchase is recommended. All sites are wheelchair accessible.

For nine consecutive years, TD Bank has kindly served as the title sponsor for the VSO’s Summer Festival Tour.

SMITH Star Spangled Banner
DVORAK Carnival Overture
HANDEL Overture from Music for the Royal Fireworks
BERLIOZ Ballet Music from Les Troyens
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV The Kalendar Prince from Scheherazade
MEYERBEER Coronation March from Le Prophète
ELLINGTON, arr. CUSTER Duke Ellington!
RODGERS, arr. BENNETT The King and I
TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture

Friday, July 1 Sugarbush Resort, Warren
Saturday, July 2 Hildene Meadowlands, Manchester
Sunday, July 3 Grafton Ponds, Grafton
Monday, July 4 Shelburne Farms, Shelburne
Thursday, July 7 Mountain Top Inn, Chittenden
Friday, July 8 Quechee Polo Grounds, Quechee
Saturday, July 9 Three Stallion Inn, Randolph
Sunday, July 10 Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow, Stowe
Keep reading!

Tech Talk: Now That It's Over

Hello, again, friends! This is your Technical Director, Rebecca, reporting on the now-complete Summer Festival Tour. I have to admit, I was shooting to post more than I did during the tour. What stopped me? Well, for one, getting wifi in the middle of a field in Vermont is not something one can count on (maybe I'll get an iPhone for next year?!). Secondly, I wasn't expecting to be so darn tired during this tour. Am I getting too old? I am almost 26, after all. More likely, it was the rainy days that sapped my energy. Despite my slacking during the tour, I wanted to write one last time before hanging up my walkie-talkie until next year (oh, how I miss those walkie-talkies!).

The goal in writing these blog posts was to shed some light on the immense manpower behind this tour, and the around-the-clock caravan of crews, musicians, and audiences that make it all happen. There are many, many people involved in this production. Let's start from the beginning:

6 a.m. Tent crew erects tent (and I'm still sleeping off the day before!)
9 a.m. Stage crew builds stage (John Miller ROCKED!)
12 p.m. VSO crew (pictured below, from left, Micah, Sean, me, and Emily) and sound and lights crew arrive

3 p.m. VSO Volunteer Coordinator (Ralph Thomas below, with light sabers and Christopher Jordan) and VSO box office staff (pictured below, Samantha Talbot and Mike Peluse) arrive


4 p.m. Volunteers arrive (pictured below are Karl Brosch, volunteer co-coordintor, with volunteer Pat Pranger), Don and Ellie arrive, our SUPER VOLUNTEERS staffing the merchandise table



5 p.m. Gates open, caterers arrive (on the good days, at least)
7:30 p.m. Concert! (Panoramic shot by Bill Jalbert)

c. 9:30 p.m. Fireworks! (Photo by Bill Jalbert)


Nine concerts over eleven days. Can't wait for next year. See all the photos from tour on our Facebook page.
Keep reading!

Tech Talk: Automotive Double Trouble & Highway Sweatshirts

Another installment of "Tech Talk" by me, Rebecca Kopycinski, VSO Summer Festival Tour Technical Director. The most memorable happenings on tour are usually the ones that involve a crisis situation. One such event that has gone down in history occurred in Grafton, Vermont – a town which, at that time, was a cell phone black hole (a tower has since been affixed to the roof of the Old Tavern!). Our truck stopped and refused to start as we left the concert field. It was midnight or so, July 3, two and a half hours from home. Thankfully, the problem was diagnosed and we moved along (we added water to the coolant reservoir!). Ever since that near-tragedy, I’ve been very aware of our vehicle functionality, hoping to avoid possible crises. The crew travels in two vehicles: a 26-foot Ryder truck with a ramp and lift gate and a Dodge Caravan. As a precaution, and because the inspection is due in June, we always take the van in for servicing before the tour. This year it was also fitted with new brake rotors. Long story short, several people assured me that a horrible odor and some smoke emitting from the wheel wells is normal for new rotors. Two weeks later, the thing is billowing smoke. Needless to say, I’ll post pictures of our loaner vehicle later!! One never wants to test the limit of shoddy brakes on a very long journey! And our truck, oh our truck. It bucks. Around 40 mph. We’ll be dropping it off around midnight this evening at Ryder for a quick check-up tomorrow morning. Boo. If the problem can’t be fixed by 9 a.m., they will give us a new truck. Boo. This means unloading and reloading 26 feet of gear before 9 a.m. Boo. I’ll keep you updated.

Moving on to more pleasant topics, our VSO merchandise is looking fantastic this year! See pictures below and don’t hesitate to stop in at our merchandise tent at any of the concerts. Part of the title of this post is “Highway Sweatshirts” because I realized the yellow screenprinted hoodie is reminiscent of the road with a dark heather material emblazoned with a double yellow line screenprint!

Keep reading!

"Behind the Scenes on Summer Tour" segment from VSO On Stage

The day has FINALLY come! Today, my crew and I ("I" being Rebecca Kopycinski, Technical Director for the forthcoming 2009 TD Banknorth Summer Festival Tour) meet for the first time to gather the items we need for a successful tour. What might this list of sundry items include? The obvious: chairs, stands, timpani, bug spray, etc. The not-so-obvious: clothespins (to keep sheet music from blowing away!), a hatchet (hey, when you're camping in a field...), a small bin for trash (for when the musician port-o-pottie has no trash receptacle), and lots and lots of little orange flags (instant parking lot). Every year I'm amazed at our traveling caravan made up of musicians, several crews, staff, volunteers, and...YOU! I hope to be able to keep you posted with pictures and commentary during the tour, you know, "Tech Talk." Until my next entry, here's a little segment from our TV show, On Stage. It features me and Assistant Principal Second Violinist Mary Gibson rapping about our side of things -- the behind-the-scenes part of tour that's about to take center stage!


Keep reading!

2009 TD Banknorth Summer Festival Tour

I call it the "most wonderful time of the year," those two weeks that envelop the Fourth of July each summer. Usually you won't read too much personal commentary from me, though I am the keeper of this blog, but the VSO's Summer Festival Tour (SFT) holds a very special place in my heart. It's my baby. This will be my seventh year on the tour, sixth as Technical Director. My affiliation with the VSO began with SFT. That first year, I was Volunteer Coordinator. The next year (and the three after that), I took on the dual roles of Volunteer Cordinator and Technical Director. Now, through the power of seniority and the mercy of the powers that be, I am simply the Technical Director (simply?).

What's not to love? This tour swirls together like some heavenly flavor of Ben and Jerry's the three things I love most: (1) music, (2) the beauty of Vermont (when is the last time you toured the entire state at its most verdant over 11 days), and (3) food. Yes, food. Anyone who knows me is chuckling right now. Whether you are the orchestra/crew meal coordinator, a caterer showing up on site, or the venue coordinator, you can be sure of me quizzing you on the evening's menu. Sometimes, I even troll the crowd of picnickers, drooling at their elaborate spreads. These three aspects of SFT are yours, too. We bring the music, Vermont brings her beauty in nine picturesque locations, and you bring the food!! Hey, we'll even throw in a pretty nifty light show. Every concert concludes with a spectacular fireworks display accompanied by Tchaikovsky's 1812 Oveture -- a piece I now know every note of!

Tickets just went on sale at the Flynn Regional Box Office. Don't fret if you are wanting to purchase tickets for the Upper Valley concert at the Quechee Polo Grounds and can't as we are firming up our rain site details before we start selling. Oh, and all concerts start at 7:30 p.m.

"The Lake Effect" (A celebration of Lake Champlain's Quadricentennial)
Anthony Princiotti, conductor

BERLIOZ
Roman Carnival Overture
HANDEL
Water Music Suite
IVANOVICI
Waves of the Danube March
GERSHWIN
An American in Paris
GLIÈRE
Russian Sailors' Dance
SCHONBERG, arr. LOWDEN
Selections from Les Misérables
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN, arr. BENNETT
Symphonic Scenario from South Pacific
TCHAIKOVSKY
1812 Overture
SOUSA
Hands Across the Sea March

All concerts at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 25
Middlebury College
Middlebury
Gates at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, June 26
Jackson Gore at Okemo Mountain Resort
Ludlow
Gates at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 27
Three Stallion Inn
Randolph
Gates at 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 28
Mountain Top Inn
Chittenden
Gates at 5:00 p.m.

Monday, June 29
Quechee Polo Grounds
Quechee (Upper Valley)
Gates at 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 2
Hildene Meadowlands
Manchester
Gates at 5:00 p.m.

Friday, July 3
Grafton Ponds
Grafton
Gates at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 4
Shelburne Farms
Shelburne
Gates at 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 5
Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow
Stowe
Gates at 5:30 p.m. Keep reading!