Marquette students and staff with a love for the arts and a nearly empty wallet can get a spectacular show from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for an equally spectacular price.
Discounted prices await those who attend "Marquette Night at the Symphony" 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $10 for all Marquette students, and a 25 percent discount is offered to all Marquette alumni, faculty and staff. University President the Rev. Robert Wild will deliver opening remarks at the performance, at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts' Uihlein Hall, 929 N. Water St.
The pieces to be performed include Sibelius' Violin Concerto, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 and Liadov's "The Enchanted Lake." Guest conductor Gerard Schwarz will be leading the performance with the MSO, which is in its 48th season.
The feature of the concert, Sibelius' Violin Concerto, was the composer's only piece written in concerto form. Elmar Oliveira will play the violin. Schwarz said he has been working with Oliveira for more than 30 years and is looking forward to performing with both him and the rest of the symphony.
"It's exciting to conduct a great orchestra in a great city," Schwarz said. "It's been quite a few years since I've played with this orchestra. It was among the best in the country then, and I've heard that Andreas Delfs (the MSO's music director) has made it even better. I can definitely say that it is one of the best orchestras in the world."
Schwarz said that Shostakovich's symphony, based on a massacre that occurred outside of a Russian palace in 1905, is an expressive piece which perfectly captures the emotions of the turbulent time.
"The Shostakovich symphony is a true masterpiece," Schwarz said. "It is very poignant and beautifully descriptive. It always touches one in a deep way."
Schwarz is currently in his 21st season as conductor for the Seattle Symphony and is also in his fifth season as music director of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. His passion for music is even more evident when he offers encouragement for students to get involved with music so that all may develop a true appreciation.
"The great thing about classical music is that you can enjoy it on several levels," Schwarz said. "You can let it swim over you, or a particular instrument like the trumpet or piano can catch your ear."
Tickets for the performance can be purchased at the door or online at www.mso.org. To receive the discount online, students should enter code 2027 and Marquette affiliates should enter 2028.