Heritage Foundation of Williamson County

Thought leaders in entertainment, marketing and non-profit industries unite to support Franklin’s beloved historic theatre.

The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN has appointed a new Advisory Board for The Franklin Theatre with 16 board members representing a rich portfolio of experience in entertainment, marketing and non-profit industries, announced Bari Beasley, Heritage Foundation CEO.  The Advisory Board will work with The Franklin Theatre and the Heritage Foundation teams over the next several years to support long-term vision and planning.

“We couldn’t be prouder of this group of talented people who have stepped up to serve and support our beloved historic downtown theatre and the Heritage Foundation. The combined experience, talent and passion of these 16 people will be a key factor in our strategic planning, fundraising and programming for long-term vision of The Franklin Theatre. With this talented team rallying for us, the sky’s the limit for the possibilities,” says Beasley.

THE FRANKLIN THEATRE ADVISORY BOARD, August 2020

CHAIR Jennifer Parker.  A resident of Franklin for more than 20 years and owner of Parker Haven Interiors, Jennifer Parker brings more than a decade working in the Nashville music industry with artist labels, management companies, recording studios, and branded artist events and marketing. A Leadership Music graduate, she serves on the Heritage Foundation Board as the VP of The Franklin Theater, as well as the Board of Studio Tenn.

Trey Bruce.  An Emmy Award-winning American songwriter, Trey Bruce has written eight Billboard Number One singles with songs performed by Randy Travis, Diamond Rio, Lee Roy Parnell, among others. He has also co-written numerous Top 10 singles for artists including Faith Hill, Leann Rimes, Trisha Yearwood, Trace Adkins, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood.

Ramon Cisneros. A specialist in marketing and engagement for Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America, Ramon Cisneros is also a consultant for corporations nationwide. He has served on the boards of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Nashville Arts & Business Council, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Opera, Cheekwood, W.O. SMITH School of Music, Sister Cities of Franklin & Williamson County, Williamson Medical Center Foundation and many others. He is a graduate of Leadership Music.

Carla Denham. Carla Denham is a passionate brand campaign producer and marketing strategist with decades of achievement with major product, service and non-profit organizations globally. A veteran in the brand business, she has led and/or grown brand marketing agencies in the South, California and Hawaii and represented brands ranging from Philips Electronics, Chick-fil-A and Gymboree to World Vision, Soles4Souls and Feed the Children.

Fletcher Foster. One of the most connected music industry leaders serving on Nashville’s Music Row, Fletcher Foster has worked with almost every record label and publishing company across the nation, as well as artists that span genre and generation including Keith Urban, Garth Brooks, Kelsea Ballerini, Whitney Houston and Annie Lennox. Currently president/CEO of F2 Entertainment Group, he serves on numerous boards including the Academy of Country Music, Leadership Music, Make-a-Wish of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau Council.

David Garrett. A Franklin native and prominent family law attorney who manages the Franklin office of Cheatham, Palermo & Garrett, David Garrett serves as the current president of the Heritage Foundation Board. He also served as president of the Foundation’s board from 2007-2011 during the acquisition, restoration and reopening of The Franklin Theatre. Garrett also served on the Board of Trustees for Battle Ground Academy and is a recipient of the Heritage Foundation’s Patron’s Award and Franklin Tomorrow’s Anne T. Rutherford Exemplary Community Volunteer Award.

Dan Haseltine. Dan Haseltine is primary singer/songwriter for 4x GRAMMY AWARD winning band, Jars of Clay, and alt-synth pop trio, The Hawk in Paris.  Dan has written 17 #1 radio singles and is the Composer for the highest grossing crowdfunded television show in history, The Chosen. He is the Founder and Sr. Development officer of the non-profit organization, Blood:Water and co-founder of local non-profit, The PUBLIC. Dan is also author of two acclaimed children’s picture books, “The One, The Only, Magnificent Me,” and “Lulu & the Long Walk.”  He is a music producer, commercial jingle creator, speaker, songwriting coach and marketing consultant. and has lived in Franklin for 25 years with his family.

David Haskell. With more than 40 years of experience in the production business, David Haskell has served as a tour manager, production manager, front of house engineer and producer for several of the biggest names in the music industry. He began his storied career with the band Nantucket in 1978 and then went on to work with artists like Alabama, Kenny Chesney, Hall & Oates, Jim Nabors, Keb Mo and more. Haskell currently serves as president of Morris Light & Sound, a production partner of the Heritage Foundation and The Franklin Theatre.

Paul Jankowski. Paul Jankowski is a recognized expert in entertainment branding, and a thought leader, speaker and Forbes contributor on marketing and creating culturally relevant messaging in the New Heartland. His expertise in all aspects of global brand development is reflected as the founder of Nashville-based New Heartland Group and entertainment agency One Bullet Entertainment. He has served in leadership positions at Elvis Presley Enterprises, SFX Entertainment (Live Nation), Gibson Guitar Corp., MCA Records and SBK Records, and was a co-founder of the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Sherri Leathers.  Sherri Leathers has more than 20 years of experience in arts programming, with an emphasis on performances for school and family audiences. She joined Shaw Entertainment Group in 2017 and is now working as the agent for the Southeast region and supporting other aspects of its operations including artist acquisition, development and retention and a variety of special projects.

Debbie Schwartz Linn. Debbie Schwartz Linn currently serves as Executive Director of Leadership Music and spent her early career with Sony Music in both New York and Nashville. Linn has developed brand partnerships for more than 20 artists including Kenny Chesney with JC Penney; Sara Evans with Libby’s, Maytag and Johnson & Johnson; Jake Owen with Lucky Jeans; Miranda Lambert with Vanity Clothing; and the Country Strong movie and soundtrack with Pepsi and Arby’s.

Matt Logan. A Tennessee native, Matt Logan worked on Broadway for years in costuming and casting for productions like The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera and Spamalot. In 2009, he returned to the South and founded Studio Tenn in Franklin with Emmy Award-winning producer Philip Hall and Broadway actress Marguerite Hall. Since then, he has worked in the creative space with Reba McEntire and on many other special projects.

Dionne Lucas. Currently serving as the Director of Retail Marketing and Sales for the National Museum of African American Music, Dionne Lucas started her professional career in marketing with The Coca Cola Company. She has successfully launched and managed numerous brands and received multiple accolades for her work with RJ Reynolds’ subsidiary Lane Limited and Tantus Manufacturing

Emily Magid. Emily Magid is a Middle Tennessee native and longtime Franklin resident and community advocate. For the Heritage Foundation, she’s best known as one of our most tenured volunteers, past board member, donor and one of the Foundation’s biggest cheerleaders. She also serves and supports many other local nonprofits and organizations including the Harpeth River Watershed Association, Franklin Housing Authority, Habitat for Humanity, BrightStone, Alcohol & Drug Council of Middle Tennessee, Williamson County Animal Center, Land Trust of Tennessee and others.

T.J. Portis. T.J. Portis has lived in the Williamson County community for decades and serves other nonprofit organizations like the Williamson County Library as a board member. She was highly recommended to the Foundation to serve on the Franklin Theatre advisory board by African American Heritage Society of Williamson County leader Alma McLemore.

Dan Rogers. A 20-year veteran of the beloved Grand Ole Opry, Dan Rogers currently serves as vice president and executive producer managing more than 200 performances annually. Rogers got his start at the Opry as a graduate intern and in his words, “…just never left. I came in at minimum wage, and with a lot to learn. But fortunately for me I was given the opportunity to learn on the job.”

The Franklin Theatre, an operating division of the Heritage Foundation, has temporarily suspended all programming until 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions on live entertainment venues. The theatre continues to provide a platform for local philanthropic engagement and to offer diverse programming for all people in 2021 and beyond.

Visit FranklinTheatre.com for 2021 programming.

Shows and events are on sale now for the 2021 performing arts and live seasons

Before The Franklin Theatre will take an extended programming

break through the remainder of 2020, it will host two more live shows: The Gatlin Brothers Fan

Favorites on Saturday, July 25 and Mac McAnally, Friday, July 31. Both shows, which sold seats

at a greatly reduced capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing requirements, are sold

out. Each show will also be live streamed from the stage and tickets for the live stream

performance are available.

Paul T. Couch, executive director of The Franklin Theatre, said he and his team were

investigating doing a combination live show/live stream and these two artists seemed like a

perfect way to introduce this concept that may become the new norm for many live venues.

“We had been negotiating these dates specifically as live, socially distanced concerts with an

added live-stream audience,” Couch said. “Since the idea of a combination live show/live

stream from our theater is such a new and innovative concept, we felt that it was in the

theater’s best interest to try this format out as it may influence the theater’s ability to reopen.”

Both the Gatlin Brothers’ and Mac McAnally’s performances will be live streamed directly from

the stage of The Franklin Theatre. To ensure the broadcast is transmitted in a high-quality

format for the online audience, the live stream will be produced by video production veteran

Alan Reitano and his company, Cypress Creek Creative.

Rudy Gatlin, member of The Gatlin Brothers said he is looking forward to the ‘Gatlin Brothers

Fan Favorites’ concert, even though they won’t be playing to a full-house.

“We just finished rehearsing and it was so much fun playing with them,” he said. “I hope the

fans enjoy hearing the songs as much as we’re going to enjoy playing them. So, get your

tickets!”

In addition to having a virtual front row seat for each concert, live stream ticket holders will be

able to message the artists and the artists will acknowledge and respond to as many of those

during the concert as time permits. Couch said ticketholders will get details on how this portion

of the live stream will work prior to the day of show.

Admission to the live stream shows is limited. Both shows will begin at 8 p.m. Doors to the

theater, for those with tickets to seats in the venue, will open at 7 p.m. To reserve your ticket to

the live stream, visit www.franklintheatre.com, or call the box office at 615-538-2076. Box

office hours are Monday-Friday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Also, check out the theater’s 2021 season of shows, which contain new dates for many of the

performances in 2020 that had to be rescheduled due to changes in touring schedules and

other COVID-19-related issues. Most of the live shows and performing arts season were able to

be moved into the 2021 season. That schedule can be found at FranklinTheatre.com/All_Events

We are pleased to announce The Heritage of Brentwood as the Presenting Sponsor of our Silver Matinee Film Series.

The Heritage at Brentwood^® is a Life Plan Community in Williamson County, also known as a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) that provides residents with a choice of independent living options, including apartment homes, villas and garden villas, as well as a continuum of care on campus.

The Silver Matinee Film Series was created in 2019 as a day out for the senior community where seniors are invited to enjoy the shops and restaurants in Historic Downtown Franklin, along with taking in a classic movie at The Franklin Theatre. Silver Matinees are typically shown once a month on a weekday at 2 PM.   Previous movies included “Singin’ In the Rain” (1952), “High Noon” (1952), “That’s Entertainment” (1974) and “Holiday Inn” (1942).

WAKM 950AM has played host to the event and coordinated fun contests and giveaways. While the event was created for the senior community, all ages are welcome. It’s been a delight for us to see families and multi-generations enjoying a classic movie together.

JOIN US FOR THE NEXT SILVER MATINEE:

“BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S” (1961)

WED 2/19 at 2 PM

CLICK FOR TICKETS

‘Tis the season for Christmas movies, but they don’t stop there. We’re sending 2019 out and ushering in the new year with our after-Christmas, Christmas-y movie fest:  The last holiday hurrah if you will…

We’ll be showing some of the holiday classics, along with some additional festive films.  All seating is reserved, and movie goers are encouraged to get tickets ahead of time. We’ll be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day so our staff can enjoy the holiday with their families.

MOVIE SCHEDULE:

THU, DEC 26

The Polar Express (G) 10:00 AM

White Christmas (1954) 1:00PM

Elf (PG) 4:00 PM

White Christmas (1954) 7:00PM

SAT, DEC 28

It’s A Wonderful Life (PG) 10 AM

SUN, DEC 29

It’s A Wonderful Life (PG) 1 PM

Scrooge (PG) 4 PM

Elf (PG) 7 PM

MON, DEC 30

A Christmas Story (PG) 10 AM

A Christmas Story (PG) 1 PM

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (PG) 4 PM

The Polar Express (G) 7 PM

TUE, DEC 31

Harry Potter and the Scorceror’s Stone (PG) 10 AM

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (R) 1:30 PM

Lethal Weapon (R) 4:00 PM

Love Actually (R) 7:00 PM

THU, JAN 2

Harry Potter and the Scorceror’s Stone (PG) 10 AM

Love Actually (R) 1:30 PM

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (R) 5:00 PM

Lethal Weapon (R) 7:30 PM

FRI, JAN 3

Harry Potter and the Scorceror’s Stone (PG) 10:00 AM

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (R) 1:30 PM

Lethal Weapon (R) 4:00 PM

Love Actually (R) 7:00 PM

CLICK FOR FULL SCHEDULE AND TICKETS

Tickets are on sale now for the Gateway Chamber Orchestra’s 2019-2020 Season – Emotion Abounds. This season, the GCO will perform inspiring musical programs that will transport audiences through time to explore the passionate works that have influenced centuries of music.

Join the GCO for a musical experience that will surprise, entertain and move you as you listen to some of the most noteworthy musicians in the Southeast. This season presents a slate of powerful and emotional programs, featuring favorite composers of the GCO including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Arnold Schoenberg and of course, Franz Joseph Haydn. Internationally acclaimed soloists are scheduled to perform, including Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra principal flutist Lorna McGhee.

“The 2019-2020 season continues a thread from last season by featuring works and composers who have helped shape our unique musical voice,” said Gateway Chamber Orchestra Music Director Gregory Wolynec. “Each program will explore a wide range of emotions in collaboration with exhilarating soloists. The sublime beauty of Mozart’s Gran Partita, the symphonic weight of Schubert’s Tragic and the radiant glow of Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night will be just a few of the highlights of the upcoming season.

Season tickets (includes four events) begin at $50 for students/military and $80 for adults. The Gateway Chamber Orchestra performs at the Franklin Theatre, with concerts on Monday evenings.

For more information about the GCO, visit gatewaychamberorchestra.com. For tickets, call the Franklin Theater box office at (615) 538-2076 or visit www.franklintheatre.com. Season tickets are on sale now. Individual concert tickets will be available Sept. 3.

The GCO is a nationally-recognized cultural institution committed to enriching lives through innovative concerts, distinctive recordings and inspiring educational programs. Conducted by Gregory Wolynec, the GCO performs in two permanent homes – The Franklin Theatre in Franklin and the Mabry Concert Hall on the campus of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville.

MASTERWORKS SERIES

• Artistry of Lorna McGhee

Monday, September 30th, 7:30 p.m.

Gabriel Fauré – Pelléas and Mélisanda Suite

Carl Reinecke – Flute Concerto with Lorna McGhee

Franz Schubert – Symphony No. 4 in C minor

The GCO kicks off an emotion-packed new season with powerful works from Gabriel Faure, Carl Reinecke and Franz Schubert. The orchestra welcomes Lorna McGhee, principal flute of the Pittsburgh Symphony, for Reinecke’s gripping concerto. Schubert provides a dramatic finale to the season opener with his Tragic Symphony.

• Transfigured Night

Monday, November 4th, 7:30 p.m.

Ottorino Respighi – Ancient Airs and Dances Set III

Claude Debussy – Danses with Paula Bressman, harp

Arnold Schoenberg – Transfigured Night (Verklärte Nacht)

Soar through darkness into light with this dramatic program of works by renowned Ottorino Respight, Claude Debussy and Arnold Schoenberg. GCO harpist Paula Bressman casts light onto the beautiful Danses with grace and elegance. Schoenberg’s stunning Transfigured Night pushes the GCO’s boundaries to new heights in a performance you will not want to miss.

• Gran Partita

Monday, January 27th, 7:30 p.m.

Felix Mendelssohn – Nocturno

Jacques Ibert – Cello Concerto with Meghan Berindean, cello

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Serenade in Bb, K. 361/370a Gran Partita

The GCO tugs at heartstrings in this concert featuring GCO cellist, Meghan Berindean. Works from Felix Mendelssohn and Jacques Ibert lead up to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s powerful Gran Partita serenade, a ‘signature’ work for the GCO featured on our debut recording and received national media praise.

• America’s Haydn Festival*

Friday, April 3rd, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, April 6th, 7:30 p.m.

Franz Joseph Haydn – Symphony No. 49 in F minor La passion

Franz Joseph Haydn – Lord Nelson Mass

The final Masterworks concert honors the late Franz Joseph Haydn at our 2^nd Annual America’s Haydn Festival. The multi-day event includes a string quartet performance featuring the Omer Quartet as well as full orchestra and choir performances of works from the famed composer.

*String Quartet tickets sold separately.

Individual Concert Tickets Available 9/3

SEASON TICKETS & MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

Leading Improv and Comedy Touring Company Will Perform With The Audience For a Night of Fun and Laughs

Are you sick and tired of jokes that make you feel sick and tired? Don’t let it all get you down! The Second City has the fix. Edgy, thought-provoking and always spectacularly funny, Chicago’s legendary sketch and improv comedy theater brings, ”The Cure for The Common Comedy,” to the Franklin Theatre on Saturday, September 2^nd at 8pm.

Recognized as one of the most influential and prolific comedy theatres in the world,

The Second City is celebrating nearly six decades of producing cutting-edge satirical revues and launching the careers of generation after generation of comedy’s best and brightest (Mike Myers, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey).

Tyler Samples, Director, describes the six veteran performers as “funny and weird” playing characters that everyone will undoubtedly find familiar. Samples adds, “They’re planning to do a lot of improv and audience interaction, to the point where it will feel like they’re playing to a group of friends. It’s a moment in time specific to what is in the room and who’s watching. A lot of silly versions of everyday things, family dynamics, adult children and their parents, couples and first dates.”

The Second City continues to produce the premiere comic talent in the industry and has grown beyond a single stage to become a diversified entertainment company. Training centers in Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles teach thousands of students every week, and four touring companies perform Second City revues all over North America and abroad. The Blue Co. will be the cast for the Franklin Theatre show.

Tickets for The Second City can be purchased online at www.FranklinTheatre.com or by calling the Box Office at 615-538-2076.

Franklin, TN (January 26, 2016) Gateway Chamber Orchestra proudly presents Enchanting Tales, 7:30 pm, February 8, at the Franklin Theatre. The Monday evening concert spotlights award-winning composer Jeffrey Wood’s world premiere of Different Bodies. The performance opens with Rossini’s charming Il signor Bruschino Overture, taking the audience through a full spectrum of contrasting musical fables and emotional tales, concluding with Maurice Ravel’s popular Mother Goose, a magical work that tells the story of Sleeping Beauty and other fairy tales.

Inspired by Kenneth Sherman’s book written about the infamous Elephant Man, Different Bodies, features acclaimed baritone, Jeffrey Williams. Composer Wood says, “Sherman’s book gives a personal point of view that allows Joseph Merrick a voice that is at once tragic and ironic: Sherman’s Merrick is a man fully aware of his strange appearance and bizarre life but oddly still able to embrace his peculiar reality.

At the same time, Sherman manages to make this most unusual individual a kind of Everyman: a marginalized person, an outsider looking in; physically unable to be part of the world around him, but ultimately unable to distance himself entirely from it. He contemplates his place in the day to day life of the world around him, trying to understand humanity from his unique perspective as an outsider to that humanity, while at the same time still being a part of it. Sherman’s Elephant Man is more than the sum of Merrick’s life and extraordinary physical appearance: it is a deeply human story.”
Enchanting Tales with Jeffrey Williams, baritone
Monday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. 
The Franklin Theatre

Giochinno Rossini – Il signor Bruschino Overture
Jeffrey Wood – Different Bodies (world première)
Maurice Ravel – Ma mère l’oye (Mother Goose)

FEBRUARY 8, 2016, Single CONCERT Tickets:
Adults: $25 | $30 | $40 | Student/Active: $15 • $20 • $30
Tickets for February 8 concert: CLICK HERE

 
SPRING SUBSCRIPTION SERIES PRICING (Two concerts*Best Value)
Adults: $40 | $50 | $65
Student/Military: $24 | $32.50 | $50
Two-concert series: Spring Subscriptions are available by phone at (615) 538-2076, and online by clicking HERE. 

Box Office hours: Sunday & Monday, Noon-5:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 am-6:00 pm
JEFFREY WOOD did his undergraduate work in composition and piano at Oberlin College and graduate work at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he earned Master’s degrees in piano and composition and a Ph.D. in composition, working under Gilbert Kalish and David Lewin.

Wood’s compositions have been performed and recorded throughout the country and have received many awards including those from BMI, ASCAP, as well as the Bates Memorial Prize. He was the highest prizewinner at the Stroud Festival International Competition in Great Britain and was named Distinguished Composer of the Year by the Music Teacher’s National Association. Wood was one of eight composers awarded in the 1995 Young American’s Art Song Competition sponsored by G. Schirmer/Associated Music Publishers. Wood’s oratorio Lamentationes Ieremiæ Prophetæ (Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet)for chorus, soloists and orchestra was premièred at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. This work was subsequently nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Wood has held the Individual Artist Fellowship in Composition from the Tennessee Arts Commission and was awarded the Richard M. Hawkins Award for scholarship and creativity by Austin Peay State University. As a pianist Wood has worked with composers such as Roger Sessions, Thea Musgrave, Mario Davidovsky, Frederic Goossen, Alan Hovhaness and Ernst Křenek in performances of their keyboard music. He is presently Professor of Music at Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee.

¨¨¨

The Gateway Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Gregory Wolynec, was formed in 2008 and is recognized as one of the leading new American ensembles. Comprised of professional musicians from Middle Tennessee and beyond, the GCO specializes in presenting traditional masterworks, overlooked treasures, and contemporary American compositions. The GCO’s recordings have received critical acclaim in publications such as the American Record Guide and Fanfare Magazine. Engaging 5,000 Middle Tennessee students annually with classical music through free performances, innovative educational outreach, and interactive Children’s Concerts, the GCO is committed to building new audiences for tomorrow. Visit gatewaychamberorchestra.com to learn more.

###

Gateway Chamber Orchestra Single Tickets Available Now

Franklin, TN. (August 31, 2015)  The Gateway Chamber Orchestra announces tickets to individual concerts are on sale now. The GCO delivers an exciting mix of new music and adventurous programming paired with classical masterpieces and rarely heard musical treasures. The 2015-16 season will focus on talented Middle Tennessee composers, showcasing their exceptional musicality and bold themes. The GCO debuts its performances in the historic Franklin Theatre this season! In addition, a portion of each student ticket will be donated to Williamson County Schools to fund musical programming and education.

Gateway Chamber Orchestra Concert tickets and subscriptions are available now via the Franklin Theatre. Order tickets and subscriptions online at https://www.franklintheatre.com or by phone at (615) 538-2076.

Box Office hours: Sunday/Monday, Noon-5:00 pm, Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 am-6:00 pm

Adult Tickets: $25 • $30 • $40 

Student/Active Military Admission: $15 • $20 • $30

GCO Music Director Gregory Wolynec says, “I am so excited to share the tremendous musical gifts these composers bring, the incredible abilities of the GCO musicians and the vibrant energy that is created between the musicians and the audience during our concerts. Get to know the GCO! You’ll be glad you did.”

Opening Night with Schubert and Haydn presented by the Williamson Herald, kicks off the 2015-16 Franklin Season, Monday, September 21, at 7:30 pm. 

The Gateway Chamber Orchestra hosts an evening of music inspired by dance. Nashville-based Cristina Spinei premieres her new chamber orchestra arrangement of Strut. Schubert’s graceful Symphony No. 3 still sounds fresh – even as the piece turns 200 years old this year. Honoring the 150th birthday of Jean Sibelius, the GCO performs one of his signature works. Rounding out the evening, Haydn’s cheerful Symphony No. 88 will send everyone home whistling the famous finale. Adult tickets are priced beginning at $25 and up, with special pricing for students and active military.

Cristina Spinei – Strut (world première)

Franz Schubert – Symphony No. 3 in D Major

Jean Sibelius – Valse Triste

Franz Joseph Haydn – Symphony No. 88 in G Major

¨¨¨

The Gateway Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Gregory Wolynec, was formed in 2008 and is recognized as one of the leading new American ensembles. Comprised of professional musicians from Middle Tennessee and beyond, the GCO specializes in presenting traditional masterworks, overlooked treasures, and contemporary American compositions. The GCO’s recordings have received critical acclaim in publications such as the American Record Guide and Fanfare Magazine. Engaging 5,000 Middle Tennessee students annually with classical music through free performances, innovative educational outreach, and interactive Children’s Concerts, the GCO is committed to building new audiences for tomorrow. Visit gatewaychamberorchestra.com to learn more.

Gateway Chamber Orchestra Announces 2015-16 Season

Partnering with the Franklin Theatre,

Premiere Season in Williamson County

Franklin, TN (July 23, 2015) Gateway Chamber Orchestra partners with the Franklin Theatre to announce its new home in the historic Main Street venue. After performing in multiple locations throughout the Nashville area since 2008, the GCO opens the 2015-16 season with the Franklin Theatre as its home. Subscription series are available now by calling the Franklin Theatre at (615) 538-2076 or online athttps://www.franklintheatre.com.

The world-class Gateway Chamber Orchestra presents its 2015-16 season with well known masterworks including Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, Beethoven’s powerful Eroica Symphony and Ravel’s mesmerizing score to Mother Goose. The orchestra will premiere music by Juilliard-trained composer Cristina Spinei as well as the world premiere of Different Bodies, by the award-winning composer Jeffrey Wood, which features baritone Jeffrey Williams. The season concludes with a new-music orchestral song-cycle by Judd Greenstein, written for indie-rock vocalist DM Stith. This exhilarating new work, commissioned in collaboration with the Detroit Symphony and North Carolina Symphony is set to the poetry of Walt Whitman, and celebrates home and one’s community.

The GCO has been a growing classical presence in Clarksville and Nashville since 2008. Offering performances with accomplished musicians who sparkle with enthusiasm, dynamic masterworks, lost treasures, and contemporary American composers, the GCO offers a tantalizing array of musical treats.

Gateway Chamber Music Director Gregory Wolynec says, “As the Gateway Chamber Orchestra continues to build a loyal following since launching our first Nashville season in the fall of 2013, it was imperative that we find the best possible home for our audience to enjoy a dynamic concert experience with our talented musicians. The Franklin Theatre is a stunning venue with terrific acoustics, and offers a great box office experience with easy access to free parking for our audience in Williamson and Davidson Counties.”

Subscriptions for the four-concert series begin at $80 for Adults and $40 for Students and Military. A portion of each student ticket will go directly back to Williamson County Schools for music education. Subscriptions are available now.

Come join us and hear what all the buzz is about – Get to know the GCO!

For additional information about the Gateway Chamber Orchestra, educational outreach programs or its Clarksville performances, visit www.GatewayChamberOrchestra.com.

The 2015-16 Season Masterworks Concert Series

Monday, September 21, at 7:30 p.m.

The Franklin Theatre

Opening Night with Schubert and Haydn

Cristina Spinei – Strut (world première)

Franz Schubert – Symphony No. 3 in D Major

Jean Sibelius – Valse Triste

Franz Joseph Haydn – Symphony No. 88 in G Major

Join the Gateway Chamber Orchestra for an evening of music inspired by dance. Nashville-based Cristina Spinei premieres her new chamber orchestra arrangement of Strut. Schubert’s graceful Symphony No. 3 still sounds fresh – even as the piece turns 200 years old this year. Honoring the 150th birthday of Jean Sibelius, the GCO performs one of his signature works. Haydn’s cheerful Symphony No. 88 will send everyone home whistling the famous finale.

Monday, October 19, at 7:30 p.m.

The Franklin Theatre

Quintessential Mozart

Clarence Cameron White – Elegy

Bela Bartók – Divertimento for Strings

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphony No. 40 in G Minor

The GCO reaffirms the talent of Middle Tennessee native violinist and composer Clarence Cameron White with a performance of his peaceful Elegy. Bartók’s masterpiece for strings highlights soloists within the chamber orchestra with a joyful finish. The grand finale of Mozart’s sublime symphony enchants and energizes; don’t be surprised when its light and buoyant tempo has you secretly tapping your toes!

Monday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m.

The Franklin Theatre

Enchanting Tales with Jeffrey Williams, baritone

Giochinno Rossini – Il signor Bruschino Overture

Jeffrey Wood – Different Bodies (world première)

Maurice Ravel – Ma mère l’oye (Mother Goose)

Rossini’s charming overture contrasts against Jeffrey Wood’s brooding world premiere; based on texts inspired by the Elephant Man. The GCO presents a full spectrum of contrasting musical fables and emotional tales, concluding with Ravel’s colorful Mother Goose, an enchanting garden of magic.

Monday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.

The Franklin Theatre

Our City with DM Stith, vocalist

Judd Greenstein – Mannahatta

Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Eroica

The GCO pulls out all the stops for this exhilarating season conclusion. Judd Greenstein’s original score set to the poetry of Walt Whitman features the vocal acrobatics of genre blending DM Stith. Beethoven’s mighty Eroica Symphony captures the spirit of the GCO ranging from intimate sensitivity to inspirational exuberance.

Subscription Packages

Masterworks Concert Series (Four concerts)

Adults: $80 | $100 | $130

Students and Active Military $50 | $65 | $100

*Tickets for single concerts are also available.

Gateway Chamber Orchestra Concert tickets are handled directly by the Franklin Theatre.

Address: 419 Main St, Franklin, TN   ·   Telephone: (615) 538-2076

Website:https://www.franklintheatre.com   ·Contact: boxoffice@franklintheatre.com

Box Office hours:

Sunday & Monday, Noon – 5:00 PM, Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

¨¨¨¨

About The Gateway Chamber Orchestra: Conducted by Gregory Wolynec, the GCO was formed in 2008 and is recognized as one of the leading new American ensembles. Comprised of professional musicians from Middle Tennessee and beyond, the GCO specializes in presenting traditional masterworks, overlooked treasures, and contemporary American compositions. The GCO’s recordings have received critical acclaim in publications such as the American Record Guide and Fanfare Magazine. Engaging 5,000 Middle Tennessee students annually with classical music through free performances, innovative educational outreach, and interactive Children’s Concerts, the GCO is committed to building new audiences for tomorrow. Visit GatewayChamberOrchestra.com to learn more.

About Franklin Theatre: The Franklin Theatre’s story began in the summer of 1937 when the marquee first illuminated Main Street showcasing the silver screen’s most popular characters. Reopened in 2011, the Franklin Theatre now charms the city of Franklin as a premier music venue bringing top-tier talent from around the world.

###

For more information:

Laurie Davis

615.491.5102

ladvol@hotmail.com