Opening the Wentz Concert Hall

The DuPage Symphony christened the new Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College on the 18th of October. There's a lot of details to work out with the acoustics of the hall, and I suspect it will take quite a bit of time to do so. However, I felt a sense of privilege having been the first timpanist to play on the stage! The program went as follows..

[] Beethoven: Overture to 'The Consecration of the House'
[] Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, K. 364
[] Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64

The orchestra made leaps and bounds from the end of the season last year to this first concert. This may partially be attributed to the inspiration to play well in the new hall, or it may just be easier to hear across the stage and have a more cohesive feel throughout the ensemble. Either way, the group sounds better, and you can listen to the recording here.