The Carmel Symphony Orchestra (CSO) invites you to celebrate the longest day of the year on June 21 at 8:30 p.m. as the orchestra launches its first-ever Summer Concert Series at Coxhall Gardens, located on the northwest side of Carmel.
Get ready to spend an evening under the stars as you enjoy pre-concert performances by Central Indiana Dance Academy, Dhol Indian Drumming, Indiana Ballet Conservatory, and Kathak (North Indiana) Dance Academy starting at 5 p.m. Stay to hear the CSO perform solar-related favorites as the sun goes down and reveals a full Strawberry Moon against the dark evening sky from 8:30 to 9:45 p.m.
“The start of summer and this unique full moon makes the pastoral setting of Coxhall Gardens the perfect place to relax and unwind while being entertained by performances inspired by cultures from around the world,” CSO Executive Director Anne Marie Chastain said.
Led by Principal Guest Conductor Joel Smirnoff, the CSO will be joined by soloists Asako Tamura, former CSO Concerto Competition Winner Cooper Olsen, and Carmel Jazz Festival Artistic Director Blair Clark. The trio of artists will perform works by Mendelssohn, Puccini, Barber, Gershwin, Vivaldi, and Carmichael, as well as an original arrangement of Japanese folk songs by Conductor Joel Smirnoff. The evening will end with special guest Blair Clark performing Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.”
“We wanted to add a local celebration of this seasonal milestone and felt a collaboration of a wide and colorful group of artists would create the perfect solstice event,” Chastain said. “Around the world, many cultures host festivals focused on the solstice, some lasting a week.”
About the Soloists
Tamura
Asako Tamura
In 2002, Tamura launched her international career as the female soloist in the Three Tenors Concert with Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras at the Arena of Yokohama during the World Cup Championships. Since then, she has made numerous appearances with various operas and orchestras around the world, including the Summer Opera Festival at the Foro Romano, the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, L.A. Asian American Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Tokyo City Orchestra, among others.
Click here to hear Tamura sing in Lucia di Lammermoor with Ramón Vargas.
Cooper Olsen
Olsen
Former winner of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, Olsen studies violin with Professor Mimi Zweig in the String Academy at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and has won numerous solo awards, including: first prize winner of the Michael Ben & Illene Komisarow Maurer Young Musicians Competition with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2022, as well as awards from the Tri-State Rising Artist Violin Competition at Northern Kentucky University, the Bloomington Symphony Competition, and the Rising Star Young Artist Concerto Competition at Southeast Missouri State University.
Click here to hear Olsen perform at the 2021 Chicago Violin Competition.
Blair Clark
Clark
Clark’s most recent release, “Al Be Like,” rose to number seven on the United Kingdom Soul Charts earlier this year. He will tour Germany, Indonesia, and Holland performing his original songs and his tribute to the world-renowned Al Jarreau this year. Clark has emerged as an original Jazz R&B solo artist and is being recognized both regionally and internationally. During his career, he has recorded two albums and written more than 36 original songs. He has had the privilege of working with Grammy award winner/producer Narada Michael Walden, BMI award winner Preston Glass, New Orleans jazz legend Henry Butler, and Kerry Gordy, to name a few.
About Maestro Joel Smirnoff
Smirnoff
Highly acclaimed conductor Joel Smirnoff has led orchestras across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Past President of the Cleveland Institute of Music, violinist with the Juilliard String Quartet and Current Faculty member and past Chair of the Violin Department at Julliard, Mr. Smirnoff is the Artistic Advisor of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and a Carmel resident.
Maestro Smirnoff has handpicked the repertoire and guest artists for this concert, personally arranging the Japanese folk song which Asako Tamura will be performing. Come prepared – he may make a surprise performance himself on violin towards the close of the evening.
“The orchestra and I are excited to welcome our three guest artists for this concert, each of whom promises to enhance the evening and to captivate and move our Carmel audience,” Smirnoff said.
Click here to learn more about Maestro Smirnoff through his 2022 interview.
Special Activities
- 5 p.m. Daniel sings
- 5:30 p.m. Central Indiana Dance Ensemble
- 6 p.m. Kathak Dance Academy
- 6:15 p.m. Indian Dhol Drumming
- 6:30 p.m. Chinese Lion Dance by the Indiana Association of Chinese Americans and Carmel Mooncake Festival Committee
- 7 p.m. Indiana Ballet Conservatory
Classic Cars
During the evening, enjoy historic cars on display at the Gardens sponsored by Artomobilia. Get a preview of what to expect from the Artomobilia event scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7 in the Carmel Arts and Design District.
Food & Drink
Bring your dinner or visit food trucks and drink vendors, including Bier Brewery and Sugar Creek Winery.
Seating
Lawn seating and youth pricing are available to meet everyone’s budget. VIP seating provides the best view of the concert. VIP tickets also include access to the air conditioned Coxhall Mansion and the CSO’s inside VIP Patron Bar and amenities. Table purchases provide you with front-row seats and help underwrite the cost of CSO’s education programs.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite. This concert is presented in partnership with the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department.
Coxhall Gardens is located at 11677 Towne Road, Carmel. In the event of rain, the 8:30 p.m. CSO performance will move to Clay Middle School, 5150 E. 126th St., Carmel.
Corporate Sponsors
- 4:59 BarberLounge
- Artomobilia
- Bier Brewery
- CBIZ
- City of Carmel
- Coxhall Guild
- CSO League
- Hamilton County Parks and Recreation
- Indiana Arts Commission
- Pedcor Companies
- Sugar Creek Winery
- The Penrod Society
About the Carmel Symphony Orchestra
The Carmel Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is a Resident Company of the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. The 70-member orchestra of professional musicians performs at the Palladium, a 1,600-seat concert hall at the Center. Founded in 1975, the CSO performs concerts featuring an eclectic repertoire of some of the world’s greatest symphonic music. The CSO is committed to enhancing the community’s quality of life through creative, artistically excellent performances and educational experiences for diverse audiences of all ages. Visit CarmelSymphony.org or follow along on Facebook to learn more. You can call the CSO at (317) 844-9717.