Manchester Symphony Orchestra: “Something Old, Something New”

Manchester Symphony Orchestra presents world-class organist and composer Jerry Westenkuehler as guest artist at its March 10 concert. A published composer of organ and handbell pieces, the Fort Worth, Texas, musician will join the MSO in performing the first movement of Handel’s Organ Concerto No. 4, as well as the complete Organ Concerto by Francis Poulenc.

The symphony will also perform Haydn’s Symphony No. 53 and Chen Yi’s Duo Ye at its “Something Old, Something New” concert at 3 PM Sunday, March 10, at Manchester University’s Cordier Auditorium.

Conductor and Artistic Director Debra Lynn intentionally balances celebrated masterworks with pieces by composers from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in classical music, and nearly a quarter of its 85th season’s programming is music by non-male and non-white composers.

Each season, the MSO brings in a guest artist who visits local schools and offers a master class for younger musicians. Westenkuehler has served churches in Missouri and Texas and has performed throughout the United States as well as Taiwan, Singapore, England, and Scotland. He currently serves Arborlawn United Methodist Church in Fort Worth as organist and director of instrumental music. Westenkuehler also teaches organ at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. As a composer of organ and handbell pieces, his works have been published by MorningStar Music Publishing, Warner Bros., Shawnee Press, Broadman Press, and Alfred Publishing.

Get tickets here.