UGA Symphony Orchestra

When you think of Athens’ local music scene, images of indie-rock bands in downtown clubs likely come to mind. But a whole other sphere of performance exists, peacefully tucked away on UGA’s East Campus. Just as hard-working and no less deserving of a packed-out crowd, these classical musicians spend hours upon hours each week meticulously perfecting their parts, preparing to take the stage beneath the bright lights and play their hearts out.

Under the baton of Mark Cedel, the UGA Symphony Orchestra will kick off this season’s lineup of the Second Thursday Scholarship Series—a monthly program that has showcased student and faculty talent to help fund academic scholarships and assistantships for over 30 years—by performing three of Antonín Dvořák’s most popular pieces.

"Symphony No. 8 in G Major" embodies the remarkably dynamic nature of the composer’s works, carrying listeners between cheerful, exuberant bursts of brass, delicate flurries of woodwinds and triumphant swells of strings over a span of four movements. "Carnival Overture," a vivacious romp interrupted only by a momentary, haunting melody, mimics the exhilaration and mystique surrounding a fair and best reveals Dvořák's strongest influence: the traditional music of his Bohemian homeland. Born into the modern-day Czech Republic in 1841, Dvořák is celebrated for incorporating Slavic folk melodies and dance rhythms into his compositions, demonstrating an appreciation of his heritage as well as subtle undertones of nationalism. The remaining selection, the powerful "Cello Concerto," will feature longtime UGA cello professor David Starkweather.

There’s something to be said for anything that has managed to survive an entire century of shifting cultural trends; these pieces have certainly stood the test of time.