August 9, 2024
St. John’s University’s Office of Alumni Relations’ first-ever expanded series of summer concerts concluded on Tuesday, August 6, with a performance by the Queens Symphony Orchestra (QSO) in The Little Theatre on the Queens, NY, campus.
The two-hour concert marked the orchestra’s 24th annual performance at St. John’s. QSO has performed a summer show at the University since 1998, except when shows were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially planned for the Great Lawn, the QSO performance, sponsored in part by Maspeth Federal Savings, was moved indoors due to inclement weather.
Supplementing the traditional QSO concert this year were performances by ’80s ensemble the White Wedding Band on June 30 and the Richmond County Orchestra on July 21. The performances enabled alumni to reconnect and celebrate the impact of the University on their lives. Members of the Queens community also came out for shows that are among the highlights of the University’s summer calendar.
Members of the Loughlin and McCallen societies, who support the University’s mission through donations and planned giving, shared in the good time.
The QSO performance delivered a tribute to the legendary Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Titled A Little Light Music: Mozart Comes to Queens, the performance opened with one of Mozart’s most famous compositions, Eine kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music). Violin virtuoso Bella Hristova followed with Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219. The performance also included Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550, considered one of Mozart’s most romantic and emotionally charged masterpieces.
QSO Music Director Martin Majkut, Ph.D., called the St. John’s performance the “highlight of the orchestra’s summer season.” “We wanted to provide a journey through some of Mozart’s most beloved compositions, highlighting his unparalleled talent and the timeless beauty of his music,” Dr. Majkut added.
Earlier this summer, the six-piece White Wedding Band brought 1980s hits to St. John’s, covering artists including Duran Duran, Billy Joel, Stevie Nicks, U2, and Billy Idol, whose 1982 hit “White Wedding” inspired the band’s name.
The Richmond County Orchestra, established in 1998, made its debut on the Queens campus to an enthusiastic reception. The orchestra has created a new generation of classical music lovers on Staten Island.
“The concert series represented a milestone in our engagement with the alumni community,” said Paul Lazauskas ’01CCPS, ’08MBA, Assistant Director, Alumni Relations. “Hundreds of alumni and community members from across the metropolitan area enjoyed the series. We are already looking ahead to next year, when we will we celebrate the 25th annual Summer Concert with the Queens Symphony Orchestra.”