Dear Friends,
It's hard to believe, but I've now spent over five years as executive director of Zoellner Arts Center. As I write this, I'm filled with gratitude. What an honor it has been-and continues to be-to come to work each day with a mission to connect our urban, suburban, and rural communities through the arts. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly to the Lehigh Valley and for continuing to walk alongside us on this journey.
This season opens on high notes - with The Bacon Brothers and Morgan Freeman's Symphonic Blues Experience. These Hollywood heavyweights have also centered music in their award-winning careers. The world-renowned Philharmonia Orchestra, under the prestigious baton of Marin Alsop, will perform stirring works of Tchaikovsky, Bartók, and Prokofiev, filling our hall with beauty and power. Mark Morris Dance Group returns with their signature blend of live music, exquisite movement, and bold fashion-this time set to the music of Burt Bacharach.
We're thrilled to welcome back audience favorites like Postmodern Jukebox and the Vienna Boys Choir, and to continue our commitment to family-centered programming through the Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital Family Series. Our pre-show conversations with Lehigh Valley Health Network health professionals have become a highlight, and we're excited to continue exploring the growing intersection of arts and wellness. Stay tuned for more news on this front.
In the winter and spring, we invite you to experience the electrifying energy of Drum Tao, the return of the moving virtual reality installation Traveling While Black, and a celebration of Jane Austen's 250th birthday with a delightful project by The Jane Austen Playlist. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain will leave you smiling, while The Tallis Scholars-the world's preeminent early music vocal ensemble-will offer a transcendent performance in the beautiful Packer Memorial Church. Finally, we close the season with the joyful rhythms of the NYC Ska Orchestra.
Zoellner Arts Center embraces its role as a university-based presenter. We are a space for a community of practice where educators and future makers converge. Student artists, along with the Departments of Music and Theatre and Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG), present concerts, plays, and exhibitions that reflect both their talent and the faculty who inspire them.
As always, we're proud to be a space where creativity, community, and connection come together. Thank you for being part of this journey and for making Zoellner Arts Center such a vibrant home for the arts.
With gratitude,
Mark Fitzgerald Wilson
Executive Director