The Shoals Symphony at UNA is gearing up for a busy season. The orchestra, under the direction of conductor Viljar P. Weimann, has four concerts planned for the year.

The Shoals Symphony is comprised of approximately 60 musicians. About 60 percent are UNA students, and the other members are professional musicians hand selected from the community and surrounding areas.

Weimann, who has been with UNA and the Shoals Symphony for eight years, is looking forward to the upcoming season.

“In the eight years I’ve been here, we’ve built this into a reputable orchestra presenting the very best in classical music,” Weimann said.

The Shoals Symphony’s first performance, “Fall Magic,” is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. in the Florence Freshmen Center and Middle School Auditorium. The show, which will have an air of mystique and magic-like qualities, will feature pieces from Mozart, C.M. von Weber, Bizet and Mussorgsky.

Dr. Yasmin Flores, assistant professor of woodwinds at UNA, will perform as a clarinet soloist.

Flores strongly encourages students to attend the performance.

“It’s going to be a great program,” she said. “It is attractive music and very dramatic, which the students will enjoy.”

The Symphony will join with the UNA Chorus, led by Dr. Ian Loeppky, for their Holiday Concert Dec. 11 in Norton Auditorium. The show will begin with a piece from Vivaldi and also includes the Nutcracker Suite and Songs of the Season.

Weimann and the Symphony are excited about the “Heroic Moments” concert in March.

This concert marks the start of the 30-year anniversary for the Shoals Symphony at UNA. The winner of the UNA concerto competition, held in November, will perform a major work accompanied by the orchestra. The program also includes pieces from both K. Raid and Beethoven.

The spring concert, titled “Jazz and America,” will be held in May. The performance will highlight the influence of jazz music on America. The show will conclude with George Gershwin’s work, “An American in Paris.” North Alabama native Ken Watters, who has won many awards and competitions and is an acclaimed jazz performer, will play the trumpet alongside the orchestra.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for students, and are available at The Kennedy Douglas Center for the Arts and at the front door on performance days. For more information and updates about the Shoals Symphony at UNA, visit www.una.edu/shoals-symphony.