Berks In Focus: Symphony Of A Thousand Images

Program: Gershwin Cuban Overture Copland Tender Land Suite: Movements 1 and 3 Curiale Awakening: Compassion, Forgiveness and Joy Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Westwater Arts & Yocum Institute Andrew Constantine Conductor Reading Symphony Orchestra This is not just a concert. This is Berks County—amplified. From Gershwin to Bernstein, from local voices to symphonic spectacle, this is our community reflected in sound. One night. One orchestra. A thousand stories. Link Program Notes Soon Join us for a pre-concert reception and gallery showing October 10 5pm-7pm at Santander Performing Arts Center A Community Portrait in Music and Light Celebrate the life, culture and beauty of Berks County through your eyes! Join the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Yocum Institute as we celebrate Berks County through your images! On October 10, 2026, we’re creating something truly extraordinary – a stunning new original “visual concerto” celebrating all there is to love about Berks County. This immersive orchestra experience is open to the all members Berks County Community. The final performance piece will be produced from a pool of well over 1,000 local image submissions and then choreographed onto a massive 440-square-foot screen above the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Your images will accompany a live performance of Joseph Curiale’s evocative piece, “Awakening”, a work that beautifully captures the heart and spirit of our beloved county and region. Tobias Gigliotti, Student Trigger Reitnouer, Student Jamil Nelson, Student Miller Kase, Student Avery Fetterolf, Student Zane Beaky, Student Gallery Showings September–October Dates coming soon… ARTIST HIGHLIGHT Nicholas Bardonnay, photographer & multimedia artist Nicholas Bardonnay is a photographer, multimedia artist, and the Creative Director & CEO of Westwater Arts. Founded in 1973, Westwater Arts has created multimedia experiences for more than one million classical music lovers. To date, over 200 U.S. and international orchestras have programmed their groundbreaking art form: symphonic photochoreography. Westwater Arts’ visual repertoire is set to music by Dvořák, Mahler, Copland, Shostakovich and 22 other renowned composers. Since joining Westwater Arts in 2009, Nicholas has photographed, produced, and performed over a dozen photochoreography pieces. Some recent projects have taken him to many of our beautiful national parks, Iceland, Mexico and the Czech Republic. His creative process begins with either a visual concept or a musical work, then he pairs one with the other. During concerts, Nicholas uses multiple digital projectors to fill a large panoramic screen with hundreds of tightly choreographed image transitions, which he live-cues from memory. He has worked on more than 140 concerts with orchestras in cities across the U.S. as well as Scotland, England, Singapore, Canada, Poland and Germany. When Nicholas is not traveling for concerts or photographing new “visual concertos,” you can usually find him gardening, playing with his pups, or planning his next big bike adventure. For this special return concert with the Reading Symphony, Nicholas is presenting National Park Suite and a new community sourced piece, Berks in Focus: Symphony of a Thousand Images. With National Park Suite we’re exploring an important facet of the American experience. Nicholas produced National Park Suite from photographs made in 30+ national parks and monuments, all choreographed to the emblematic first and third movements from Copland’s Tender Land Suite. Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and the Great Smoky Mountains are just a few of the dozens of places showcasing America’s most majestic natural treasures. Or as writer, historian and conservationist Wallace Stegner put it, “National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best…” Commissioned by the RSO to celebrate the people and places of Berks County, Berks in Focus: Symphony of a Thousand Images was created from countless photographs submitted by local students, ages 5-22, who have shared their visions of the natural beauty, history, people, traditions, lifestyles, and special qualities that make Berks County a wonderful place to live. Nicholas curated the submissions and choreographed the final selections to Joseph Curiale’s Awakening. He feels so fortunate to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime project with the RSO while learning so much about the area through the talented and insightful eyes of those who call it home. Learn more about Nicholas and his collaborative art form at WestwaterArts.com. Listen PARKING FREE Parking at the DoubleTree Get free parking and round-trip shuttle to the concert when you enjoy modern comfort food in a relaxed urban setting at Cheers Bistro at the DoubleTree. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick bite or a leisurely meal, your pre-concert dining experience will be one to remember! Book Reservations | Visit Website | Call (484) 577-8633 Make It A Weekend! Make a weekend out of your RSO experience. Book a room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Reading and enjoy the best perks of Reading. Book Your Room | Call (610) 375-8000