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Claflin Hill Symphony explodes into New Year with triumphant concerts – Announces season finale program change

The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra – the Central Massachusetts region's fully professional, world-class resident orchestra – resumed concertizing in January and February after the Holiday break – with several amazing and epic concerts!

The CHSO produces an entire season of professional symphony concerts at its beautiful and acoustically perfect Milford Town Hall Grand Ballroom, a Jazz Series at the Sorrento in Milford, and a chamber music series at Apple Tree Arts in Grafton. All three series resumed with truly outstanding performances and record audience attendances, and the orchestra is poised to continue the concert season into the end of April with five more concerts scheduled at the three CHSO venues.

The Homefield CHSO Jazz Series continues on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Sorrento Restaurant, 143 Central Street in Milford. The resident "Homegrown Jazz Trio," consisting of Stephen Chaplin, Piano; Greg Chaplin, Bass; and Bob Tamagni, Drums, will be joined by Jazz Guitarist Mark White. 

Wayne Sermon, Guitarist for Imagine Dragons touted White’s talent when he wrote, “As a student of Mark’s for many years, I found his knowledge of the instrument unparalleled.”  

All the musicians have taught and/or studied at the Berklee School of Music in Boston and have performed with many of the greatest names in Jazz nationwide. The series continues the tradition of excellent jazz performance in Milford that has its roots in the 1950s when Milford Native Henry "Boots" Mussulli starred as the lead alto saxophonist with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and brought numerous jazz greats back to his hometown to perform with him. The series will conclude on Saturday, March 23. Tickets are available at www.claflinhill.org

The Claflin Hill Symphony season continues on Saturday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Milford Town Hall Grand Ballroom, 52 Main Street in Milford.

This concert – entitled "Latin Salsa Buffet" – features guest classical guitarist David McClelland in a program inspired by music and flavors of Spain, Cuba, Mexico, and Italy in works by Gershwin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Copland, Castelnuevo-Tedesco and Marques.

"The Claflin Hill Symphony was founded in 2000 with a mission to create a musical, cultural venue for the region's finest professional musicians – many of whom came to our country from all over the world to study in the great music schools in Boston, became citizens, now make their homes in our region and teach in our public and private schools," said Paul Surapine, Founding Executive and Artistic Director. "We seek to build a NEW audience for the greatest musical heritage of the past 300-plus years by creating programming that is "familiar" and expands the audience's musical "palate." Centered in Milford, CHSO has an exponentially growing audience base from communities throughout the Central Massachusetts region – many of whom never experienced the power and sublime beauty of great music being created right before their eyes!"

The Claflin Hill Chamber Music Series at Apple Tree Arts in Grafton will conclude on Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Apple Tree Arts Great Hall at 1 Grafton Common. This concert will feature musicians of the CHSO's impressive string section in "Glorious String Serenade Night."

The CHSO Season Finale will be on Saturday, April 27. The orchestra has just announced a program change for that concert. Originally scheduled to present "Concert Opera Heritage" – a performance of two famous Italian operas – the orchestra will instead perform a "Symphony Movie Pops Night" with music of many of the greatest and most popular movie film scores – including music of John Williams and many of the other great film composers of the past 50 years.

All tickets to all CHSO concerts can be purchased online at www.claflinhill.org. Patrons can call the CHSO office at 508-478-5924 with any questions.

The Claflin Symphony Orchestra, located in Milford, MA, is a powerful regional musical force. Through passionate performances presented by masterful musicians, the CHSO plays a leading role in the cultural enrichment and vitality of Central Massachusetts and MetroWest communities. The CHSO sponsors a remarkable outreach program that helps youth perfect their musical talents and build long-lasting appreciation for music.