Tickets available at:
https://givebutter.com/stringtheory
String Theory takes place at the Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center Theater in Oneonta. Doors open 60 minutes before curtain with cash bar.
Save 10% on tickets by purchasing online in advance! General Admission is $50 at the door. Students (school-age and college) always free and all parents, guardians, chaperones only $10, thanks to our Wendy Brown Student Ticket Program!
Join us for an extraordinary evening celebrating the soul of the orchestra—the strings! Experience a breathtaking journey through four centuries of string music, from Baroque sublimity to contemporary virtuosity, featuring our own distinguished Concertmaster Michael Emery as soloist.
A truly unique concert:
String Theory presents an exceptional opportunity to hear the full expressive range of the string orchestra—from the intimate chamber-like textures of Mahler's Adagietto to the soaring grandeur of Vaughan Williams' mystical Fantasia, culminating in Corigliano's virtuosic tour de force. This program is extraordinarily rare in its focus: an entire evening dedicated to the power and versatility of strings, showcasing everything from Renaissance-inspired reverence to 21st-century cinematic drama. The addition of Michael Emery as soloist makes this particularly special—audiences will experience our own beloved Concertmaster stepping into the spotlight to demonstrate the artistry that has graced our orchestra for years.
The Evening's Program:
Mahler: Symphony No. 5 - Adagietto - One of the most beloved movements in the entire symphonic repertoire, this achingly beautiful meditation for strings and harp showcases the orchestra's capacity for intimate expression. Mahler composed this tender love letter to his wife Alma, and its haunting melody has captivated audiences for over a century with its profound emotional depth.
Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 10 in B Minor - A youthful masterwork written when Mendelssohn was just 13 years old, this symphony reveals the prodigious talent that would make him one of the Romantic era's greatest composers. The work demonstrates remarkable maturity in its dramatic intensity and lyrical beauty, proving that genius can emerge at any age.
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis - A mystical and transcendent work that bridges four centuries, taking a 16th-century hymn tune by English composer Thomas Tallis and transforming it into a shimmering tapestry of sound. Vaughan Williams divides the string orchestra into multiple groups, creating ethereal echoes and rich harmonic layers that evoke the sacred spaces of English cathedrals.
INTERMISSION
Corigliano: The Red Violin - Suite for Violin and Orchestra - A virtuosic showpiece adapted from John Corigliano's Academy Award-winning film score, this suite follows a legendary violin across three centuries and continents. From the haunting Chaconne to the electrifying Accelerando finale, this work demands technical brilliance and emotional range, making it the perfect vehicle for our soloist's artistry.
FEATURED ARTIST:
Michael Emery, violin - Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at Skidmore College and longtime Concertmaster of the Catskill Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Emery has performed as soloist and concertmaster with orchestras across the United States, Asia, and Europe, and has collaborated with legendary artists including Emanuel Ax, Ruggiero Ricci, and composer John Corigliano himself. He earned his MM in Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Erick Friedman and Raphael Bronstein and served as concertmaster of the Manhattan Symphony. As founder of the Skidmore String Festival, he has brought world-class chamber music to upstate New York for nearly two decades.
STUDENTS GET IN FREE!
Thanks to our Wendy Brown Student Ticket Fund, all school-age and college students experience this world-class performance at no cost. Companion tickets for parents/guardians just $10.
String Theory is part of our 72nd season "The Orchestral Kaleidoscope" - celebrating how different instrumental combinations create entirely new sonic landscapes.
TICKETS:
Students (school-age & college): FREE
Adults: $45 advance / $50 door
Accompanying parents, guardians, and chaperones: $10
VENUE: Foothills Performing Arts & Civic Center
DATE: Saturday, March 14, 2026
TIME: Doors 6:30 PM | Concert 7:30 PM
Join us at the cash bar for a pre-concert sip!
Experience the timeless beauty and dramatic power of the string orchestra!
Also check out other Entertainment events in Oneonta, Music events in Oneonta, Arts events in Oneonta.
