SoNA Brings Rites of Renewal The Firebird to Walton Arts Center

Rites of Renewal brings a night of ritual and transformation to the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas’s stage, and it’s an invitation to spend an evening inside live orchestral sound. Come as you are and let the evening carry you from one mood into the next.

THE DEETS

Four Composers, One Night of Fire

You’ll hear four works across the evening. Hector Berlioz opens with his Roman Carnival Overture, followed by Aaron Copland’s Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo. Camille Saint-Saëns brings the Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, and the program closes with Igor Stravinsky’s 1945 arrangement of The Firebird Suite.

Get to Know Your New Music Director

You’ll watch Fujimoto lead the orchestra for her first concert as SoNA’s Music Director, a role she holds alongside her position as Music Director of the Mid-Texas Symphony. The San Francisco Chronicle praised her for a “powerhouse performance.” She previously served as Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, where she worked with Music Director Osmo Vänskä across orchestral, pops, and educational programs. She also served as a cover conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen, Zubin Mehta, and Susanna Mälkki. Fujimoto has guest conducted the San Francisco Symphony, National Symphony, Houston Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Hawai’i Symphony, and Florida Orchestra, and held earlier titled conducting posts with the San Antonio Symphony and Virginia Symphony.

Dig Deeper Before the Downbeat

SoNA’s Inside the Music page gives you a fuller view of the evening before you arrive, with artist interviews, program notes, and recordings. You’ll also find recommendations for where to grab a bite or a drink before or after the show.

This is your chance to hear Fujimoto’s approach to the podium for yourself. Grab a seat and be there when the music starts.