“The Tri-County Symphonic Band, under the direction of Philip Sanborn, will begin its 55th season with a program entitled “Shades of Blue” on Sunday, October 23, at 3 p.m."

The concert will take place in the Fireman Performing Arts Center at Hoyt Hall on the campus of Tabor Academy, 235 Front Street in Marion.

According to South Coast Today.com, clarinetist Charlie Suriyakham will have solos in a program that reflects the many hues that are on the "blue" end of musical spectrum.

The concert begins with “The Blue and the Gray: Civil War Suite” composed by Clare Grundman. Almost all of the selections in this suite were composed during years of war except for “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” which was written a few years before.

“Lincolnshire Posy” by Percy Grainger is next in the program. It is based on folk songs that he and Lucy Broadwood collected in Lincolnshire in 1905 and 1906.

The second half of the program opens with Louis Elbel's “The Victors,” which is the fight song for the University of Michigan Wolverines.

Suriyakham will take the stage next to perform Gioachino Rossini’s “Introduction, Theme, and Variations,” which has a slow introduction of the piece with a difficult clarinet part quick notes spanning the instrument’s range.

Five variations then follow and the first contains punchy staccato notes with the clarinetist moving from low to high notes. The second variation is a rollercoaster of fast pitches and the “third flaunts speedy ascending arpeggios and breathless descending scales.” The fourth variation is a slow, reflective minor variation that shows clarinetist’s sensitive side. A Mozartian chord progression sets up the last variation, which is punctured by a second cadenza.

Clarinetist Charlie Suriyakham was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He was a former professional hip-hop dancer and graduated from the Prince Royal’s College.

In 1993, he started studying clarinet at California State University at Northridge. In 1995, he transferred to Chicago College of the Performing Arts of Roosevelt University in Chicago where he received a full scholarship to complete his B.M., M.M., and Professional Diploma in orchestral studies.

In 1998, Suriyakham won Roosevelt University’s concerto competition. Charlie studied clarinet under the direction of Gregory Smith and Larry Combs (Chicago Symphony), and Debbie and Jim Kanter (Pacific and Hollywood Bowl Symphony).

He was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and has performed with conductors and musicians including Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre Boulez, Sir Colin Davis, Christoph von Dohnányi, Hilary Hahn, and Leonard Slatkin. Currently, Suriyakham is a member of the United States Coast Guard Band, one of the premier military bands in the United States.

Admission for the concert is $15 for adults and $5 for students. Children under the age of 12 are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Symphony Music Shop in Dartmouth and the Bookstall in Marion. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door.

With additional reporting by Sal Lopez

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