The Fairfield County cultural institution, headed by Music
Director Michael Stern and President/CEO Russell Jones,
has redefined its purpose, and rebranded its identity
● Stamford Symphony is now Orchestra Lumos, effective May 18, 2022
● This rebrand is a complete institutional transformation from the inside-out as it
reconsiders the role an orchestra can play in its community
● 2022/23 marks the true inaugural season with Music Director Michael Stern,
whose hiring and subsequent onboarding in early 2020 was overshadowed by
the pandemic
● Orchestra Lumos is a celebration of light – a resplendent fixture of Fairfield
County which can be seen, and experienced, from Greenwich to Bridgeport,
Connecticut to New York City, and throughout the classical music industry at
large
● Violinist Joshua Bell, pianist Awadagin Pratt, and cellist Alisa Weilerstein to
headline season
Today, the Stamford Symphony announced that it has rebranded itself as Orchestra
Lumos, effective immediately. This rebrand, far from a superficial or merely aesthetic
transformation, is a complete makeover of the institution from top to bottom, with
significant changes implemented to its mission, programming, and education &
community engagement. As Orchestra Lumos, this storied institution, once
representing only the town of Stamford, Connecticut, has removed its geographical
boundaries in order to engage the wider Fairfield County community – both in terms of
numbers as well as demographics – in meaningful, sustainable ways.
President and CEO Russell Jones states: “Orchestra Lumos will be integral to making
Fairfield County a dynamic place to live, work, raise families, and enjoy a stellar quality of life.
We are thrilled to serve the breadth of our community through innovative, often culturally
attuned programming; partnerships with diverse local arts and cultural organizations; and
ever-expanding, practical education initiativesthat nurture both musical and life skills—and
build the audiences of the future. Orchestra Lumosstrivesto be a musical beacon close to
home; we invite you to share in the joy, passion, and inspiration of music-making from
Fairfield County, and beyond.”
An effective development strategy is instrumental in the realization of this rebrand.
The Orchestra’s recently-launched Crescendo Fund, for artistic, educational, and
community growth, will ensure that new local markets are reached, public school
students in the county are engaged, and the Orchestra is able to look through a wider
lens at its programming. The Fund’s goal of adding $1 million a year to the Orchestra’s
budget, within the next five years, has already raised $4 million in pledges and is ahead
of schedule, signifying the high level of commitment from the Stamford Symphony’s
patrons and supporters as it transitions to Orchestra Lumos. Additionally, the recent
awarding of a $75,000 Catalyst Fund Incubator Grant from the League of American
Orchestras will make Orchestra Lumos a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive
institution, actively deepening its connection to Fairfield County’s thriving Latinx and
African American communities in purposeful and consistent ways. Orchestra Lumos’
musical choices, collaborations, engagement, and internal structure is diversifying.
MISSION
While filling concert halls has long been considered the litmus test of a successful
orchestra, Orchestra Lumos views all engagement as vital and worthwhile – whether in
the audience at one of the Orchestra’s regular Palace Theatre season concerts, or in a
small space concert at a place of worship, a family program at one of Fairfield County’s
libraries, or an instrument petting zoo for public school students. In contrast with the
Stamford Symphony’s 2018/19 season, the last full concert season before pandemic
shutdowns, the plans for the 2022/23 season are nearly unrecognizable. Orchestra
Lumos will have more musicians on stage than ever before for main full orchestra
programs; seven small space concerts, played by members of the Orchestra, from
Greenwich to Westport; and in order to expand the Orchestra’s educational and
outreach programs, Orchestra Lumos has hired its first ever full time Community
Engagement and Education Manager.
The Mayor of Stamford, Caroline Simmons has voiced her support for the upcoming
changes: “It is with great pride that I congratulate Stamford Symphony on itsrevitalized
image as Orchestra Lumos. This particular institution, a culturalstaple in our community life,
has been a champion for the performing arts and music in Stamford for more than sixty years.
The benefits of having an orchestra of world-class musiciansin our hometown cannot be
overstated, and expanding Orchestra Lumos’ engagement to our neighboring communities
means not only a more culturally rich Fairfield County, but a more closely-knit one as well.”
In addition to Orchestra Lumos’s eleven mainstage performances at The Palace
Theater in Stamford, the 2022/23 season also comprises seven small space concerts
(Greenwich, New Canaan, Stamford, Westport) as well as its vast offerings to the
Fairfield County community and its schools.
“We are all energized and excited for the future. Orchestra Lumosis going to be a leading
example of what an orchestra can be, in and for its community. As Orchestra
Lumos musicians, we look forward to sharing the power and joy of music with the diverse
audiences of Fairfield County and beyond,” says Orchestra Lumos Violinist Sue Lorentsen.
PROGRAMMING
In order to echo the Orchestra Lumos name musically, each mainstage concert will
feature a work by a 21st century American composer which places the motif of light at
its front-and-center. Additionally, dynamic guest soloists of international acclaim –
including Joshua Bell, Alisa Weilerstein, the Dalí Quartet, Awadagin Pratt, and others –
join Orchestra Lumos, illuminating the stage with both new and treasured classical
works. The 2022/23 season programming, also largely a reflection of Music Director
Michael Stern’s inaugural season on the podium, is a celebration of this pivotal moment
in the Orchestra’s history.
“Building on the very long and rich tradition of the Stamford Symphony’sservice to music
throughout Fairfield County, we are positioning Orchestra Lumosto start a whole new
chapter – a re-inspired orchestra for a new time. Like our new name suggests, we are casting a
bright light towardsthe future, far beyond just bringing exciting performances of a diverse
range ofsymphonic music to every constituency. While making great music is certainly at the
heart of what we do, with our devoted musicians at the helm, we are looking to re-energize
what a 21
st century orchestra can be, and thisseason’s orchestral concerts are only the start,”
said Music Director Michael Stern.
“Orchestra Lumos will be visible in classrooms, libraries, houses of worship, and malls. Our
musicians will fan out acrossthe county to bring intimate smallspace concertsin Greenwich,
New Canaan, Stamford and Westport. We are committed to the idea of having music engage
with our entire community, and especially to honoring our core mission to make great music
integral to the lives of young people. Exposure to music and the arts at the highest levels, and
empowering young people to find their musical voices, are key to how we will be able to
answer the challenges we face in a post-Covid and uncertain world.”
A full listing of all mainstage and chamber music concerts can be found at the end of
this release.
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The hiring of Nicolas Gonzalez, the first full-time Community Engagement and
Education Manager, is one of the strongest indicators of Orchestra Lumos’
commitment to a more robust engagement system. Working together with the Board
of Directors, staff, and community partners, Nic has been vital in the establishment of a
five-year, $1 million strategic education plan Play, Sing, Listen! which seeks to:
● strengthen Orchestra Lumos’s partnership with Stamford Public Schools with
new and more engaging programs;
● develop new partnerships with school districts in neighboring towns;
● expand existing partnerships with local community music programs;
● launch new activities in collaboration with community organizations;
● and build up programs for engaging youth in orchestral performance, including
pre-concert activities at Palace Theatre and family concerts.
Gonzalez shared: “Orchestra Lumosis committed to making a tangible impact among the
communities we serve. Both onstage and off, we are breaking down historical barriers—and
broadening accessto arts participation and enjoyment. Through expanded and deeper
partnerships with diverse community leaders and organizations who are vital to the social
and cultural fabric of our county, we willstrive to foster valuable musical, academic, and
personal experiences, and encourage creativity, collaboration, and confidence—all while
affording studentsrewarding social interactions with peers and musician-mentors. Our
family concerts, in-school performances, and interactive pre-concert activitiesilluminate the
power and beauty of music for anyone and everyone in Fairfield County.”
In the 2022/23 season, Orchestra Lumos will enable greater access to its musical
presentations for students and the wider community easier and more fulfilling than it
has ever been. From Greenwich to Bridgeport, the Orchestra will present 20 free
concerts across the community, including the annual Holiday Brass concerts, the Music
and Storytelling initiative, that pairs music with a children’s book, and more. There will
be a sweeping set of 40 educational activities through Carnegie Hall’s Link Up initiative,
lessons and masterclasses with Project Music, Jazz Bootcamps, Greater Connecticut
Youth Orchestra chamber music coachings, Side-by-Side play-throughs, and Music
Appreciation at the Future 5 school for under-resourced high school students. These
programs demonstrate the Orchestra’s commitment to ensuring thousands of local
residents and students will be able to participate in the transformative power of music.
“Planning relevant and effective services and programsfor the benefit of the community
requires a collaboration of equals. By complementing each other’s programs and services,
rather than duplicating efforts, we can then amplify the good work done in a community. This
is a philosophy and commitment that the Westport Library shares and is committed to with
Orchestra Lumos. We are thrilled to be working with them on a long-term series of eventsfor
the benefit of everyone in Westport and surrounding communities,” shared Bill Harmer,
Westport Library Executive Director.
“Last fall, GCTYO partnered with Orchestra Lumos on our inaugural Chamber Music
program, and it has been a huge success. With 25 students participating across 5
different groups coached by Orchestra Lumos musicians, we are excited to continue the
program and provide a chamber music experience for our young musicians,” said Beth
Ulman, Executive Director of the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestra.
“I’m very excited to partner with Orchestra Lumos and be part of itssmallspace series at The
First Congregational Church of Greenwich. These outstanding musicians, performing in our
recently renovated sanctuary, will be a feast for the ears and a joy to experience,” said Dr.
Craig Scott Symons, Minister of Music, First Congregational Church of Greenwich.
PALACE SERIES PROGRAMS
An Evening with Maria Friedman
Orchestra Lumos Annual Gala
Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 7:00pm
Featuring the music of Marvin Hamlisch, Michel Legrand and Stephen Sondheim
New Worlds
Saturday, October 15, 2022 – 7:30pm
Sunday, October 16, 2022 – 3:00pm
Awadagin Pratt, piano
Michael Stern, conductor
Gareth Wood: Lumos Fanfare (Orchestra Lumos commission)
Iván Enrique Rodriguez: Luminis
Jesse Montgomery: Roundsfor piano and string orchestra
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 From the New World
Light and Love Revealed
Saturday, November 19, 2022 – 7:30pm
Sunday, November 20, 2022 – 3:00pm
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
Michael Stern, conductor
Einojuhani Rautavaara: In the heart of light
Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Concerto, No.1
Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 7 Unfinished
Ludwig van Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3
Nature’s Light
Saturday, March 4, 2023 – 7:30pm
Sunday, March 5, 2023 – 3:00pm
Dalí Quartet(Ari Isaacman-Beck, Carlos Rubio, violins; Adriana Linares, viola; Jesús
Morales, cello)
Michael Stern, conductor
Joseph Schwantner: Chasing Light
Juan Ramirez: Suite Latina
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No.6, Pastorale
Fireworks with Joshua Bell
Saturday, April 1, 2023 – 7:30pm
Sunday, April 2, 2023 – 3:00pm
Joshua Bell, violin
Michael Stern, conductor
Stacey Garrop: Spectacle of Light
Felix Mendelssohn: Violin concerto
Johannes Brahms: Serenade No. 1
Light, Right and Fanciful Flight
Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 14, 2023 at 3:00pm
Mark Bebbington, piano
Joel Thompson, narrator
Michael Stern, conductor
Carolyn Bremer: Early Light
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23
Joel Thompson: To Awaken the Sleeper (narrated by the composer)
Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird, Suite (1919)
~~~
SMALL SPACE SERIES PROGRAMS
Autumnal Brass Meets Thundering Organ
Sunday, October 23, 2022 – 3:00pm
First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan
Don Batchelder, trumpet
John Dent, trumpet
Lawrence DiBello, horn
Richard Clark, trombone
Brian Brown, tuba
Terence Flanagan, organ
David Sampson: Fanfare for Canterbury Cathedral
Gabrieli: Canzona per sonare No. 1
Purcell: Sonata for trumpet and organ
Max Peters: Elegie
Molter: Concerto for two trumpets and organ
Gigout: Grand Chœur Dialogué
Peeters: Entrata Festiva
Hovhaness: Prayer of Saint Gregory
Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Wunderbarer König (Wondrous King Almighty)
Rebels and Trailblazers
Sunday, November 6, 2022 – 2:00pm
The Westport Library
Sebu Sirinian and Lisa Tipton, violins
Shelley Holland-Moritz, viola
Jacqueline Stern, cello
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 Op. 95 1st and 2nd mvts
Walker: String Quartet No. 1, Lyric 1st mvt
Fanny Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E flat, 1st mvt
Milad Yousuf: Refugee
Jessie Montgomery: Source Code
Perkinson: Movement for string trio
Rhiannon Giddens: At the Purchaser’s Option
Piazzolla: Libertango
With Added Viola!
Sunday, January 22, 2023 – 3:00pm
Stamford Museum and Nature Center
Deborah Buck and Elizabeth Lim-Dutton, violins
Lois Martin and Adria Benjamin, violas
Caroline Stinson, cello
Mozart: String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K.516
Brahms: String Quintet No. 1 in F Major, Op.88
ORGANized Fun in the Kitchen!
Sunday, February 26, 2023 – 3:00pm
First Presbyterian Church, The Fish Church (Stamford)
Join percussionist virtuoso Dan Haskins and Fish Church organist Kevin Bailey for an
impromptu afternoon of fun featuring all the ways percussion instruments, known as
the kitchen department, can partner with the mighty organ, the King of Instruments.
A Deepness of Double Basses?
Sunday, March 19, 2023 – 2:00pm
Westport Library (Westport)
Peter Weitzner, Richard Ostrovsky, Troy Rinker and Andrew Trombley, double basses
Gregg August: Fortune’s Lament (Orchestra Lumos commission)
Schuller: Quartet for Double Basses
Lauber: Quartet
Bizet: Carmen Fantasy
Khachaturian: Sabre Dance
Windward Blow!
Sunday, April 23 2023 at 3:00pm
First Congregational Church of Greenwich
Elizabeth Mann, flute
Melanie Feld, oboe
Pavel Vinnitsky, clarinet
Cynde Iverson, bassoon
Lawrence DiBello, horn
Ibert: Trois pièces brèves
Valerie Coleman: Red Clay and Mississippi Delta
Hindemith: Kleine Kammermusic Op.24 No 2
Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
Paquito D’Rivera: Aires Tropicales
In Time of Fear
Sunday, June 4 at 3:00pm
Stamford Museum and Nature Center
Robert Zubrycki and Lisa Tipton, violins
Adria Benjamin, viola
Peter Sanders, cello
Katie Palka: Process, a setting of Ethel Smyth’s March of the Women
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8, 1st mvt
Schulhoff: Five Pieces for String Quartet, 4th mvt
Vaughan Williams: String Quartet No. 2
Porter: Our Lady of Potchaiv, Ukrainian folk song