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7 Questions – Adrien C. Finlay (Alexandria Symphony Orchestra)

Let’s welcome … Adrien C. Finlay, Executive Director of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra since the 07-08 Season. Committed to artistic excellence and dedicated to entertaining and educating a wide range of audience members, the ASO has been offering classical and inter-arts programming since 1954. Check them out!

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

Producing a new jazz orchestra series this season, with the most recent concert being a smashing success. We re-created Charlie Parker’s album, “Charlie Parker with Strings,” where he took some of the best songs of his colleagues (Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington) and arranged them for small orchestra, rhythm section, and alto saxophone soloist. The concert allowed us to branch out into new repertoire, pull in new audiences who were either jazz fans or fans of our saxophone soloist (Vaughn Ambrose), and present ourselves at Artisphere, Arlington’s new cultural center. Vaughn Ambrose is the band director of Hammond Middle School in Alexandria and it was such a joy to see so many of his students and their parents at the concert supporting him, and the ASO. Continue reading