The FCS Blog

News, Resources, and Program Notes

The FCS blog is your one-stop spot for all of our Symphony News, Educational Articles, and Blog Posts.

You can find more great information by exploring our Program Notes Archive, Open Notes Podcast, and Virtual Concerts/Videos, or by joining our email list.


Then and Now temporary square header

Fort Collins Symphony Celebrates 100th Anniversary

For Immediate Release FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The Fort Collins Symphony is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a blockbuster season of music. The 2023-24 season “Then & Now” runs from October 7, 2023 to May 11, 2024. Visit FCSymphony.org/100 for more information. The season opens with Beethoven’s m
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B Sharp, two hands holding

Symphony of Support: The Healing Power of Music in Dementia Care

No one has to walk the dementia journey alone. In this video, members of Dementia Together and the Fort Collins Symphony discuss the B Sharp Arts Engagement Program and its research, which found powerful benefits for people living with dementia and their care partners from attending live symphony co
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hixon gardens brass quintet

2023 “Music’s in the Air” Summer Garden Concert

One of the best benefits of being an FCS Season Subscriber is an invitation to our annual “Music’s in the Air” Summer Garden Concert. A Brass Quintet performing atthe Hixon Gardens This August, a Woodwind Quintet of FCS musicians playing flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French Horn will perform a
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Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea by James McNeill Whistler

Debussy’s Nocturnes: A Poetic Journey Through Twilight

Debussy was a master of creating atmosphere and mood in his music. He used techniques such as shifting harmonies, delicate melodies, and subtle orchestration to create a sense of wonder and awe. Debussy’s Nocturnes is a masterpiece of musical imagery. Claude Debussy Nocturnes was inspired by the wor
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Movie theater, cinema, film, popcorn

Lights, Camera, Symphony: How Music Shaped Films

Lights, Camera, Symphony: How Music Shaped Films The Role of Music in Cinema From the dawn of cinema to the present day, music has played a crucial role in enhancing the storytelling and emotional impact of films. As we prepare for our upcoming concert, “Escape to the Movies: The History of Music in
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Benjamin Britten

Beyond Words: The Moving Power of Music to Pay Tribute

Music has a unique ability to convey emotions and create lasting memories. Throughout history, many composers have used their craft to honor loved ones who have passed away and to pay tribute to their homelands. These musical compositions have become powerful tools to express emotions and keep the m
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Interview with pianist Avery Gagliano open notes podcast

Interview with Pianist Avery Gagliano

21-year-old pianist Avery Gagliano captures audiences with her sensitivity, emotional depth, and musical expression. She gained international attention as the First Prize and Best Concerto Prize winner of the 10th National Chopin Piano Competition, and was the only American semifinalist at the 18th
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End of 2022 image

2022 in Review, at the Fort Collins Symphony

A Look Back at 2022 We accomplished a lot in 2022, and we’re glad that you could join us for every step of the way. Enjoy this recap of an excellent year for classical (and popular) music in Fort Collins. Thanks to your continued support, we performed 28 excellent concerts this year for over 15,000
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7 lesser-known classical music pieces for your winter playlist

7 Lesser-known Classics for your Winter Playlist

7 Lesser-known Classics for your Winter Playlist You’ve heard the Nutcracker and Vivaldi’s Winter, but have you heard these lesser-known pieces of classical music to put you into the spirit of winter? From the desks of Schumann and Tchaikovsky to the computer of Max Richter, these 7 Winter Classics
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Give the Gift of Music: Gift Certificates

Give the Gift of Music! with an FCS Gift Certificate

Share Your Love of Music with Family & Friends We all have enough stuff.  But, can we ever have enough music? We don’t think so! We invite you to share your love of music with family and friends. What could be better than a gift certificate that will provide an exciting experience with the best of c
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Colorado Gives Day Square

What is Colorado Gives Day?

On the first Tuesday of December (Dec. 6, 2022), Coloradans come together on Colorado Gives Day to support the nonprofits that make a difference in our lives. Since 2010, Colorado Gives Day has grown to be Colorado’s largest 24-hour giving event, raising more than $500 million for nonprofits across
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SC2 Escape to New Realms Square

Escape to New Realms with the Fort Collins Symphony

Fort Collins:  You are invited to Escape to New Realms with a concert exploring fantastic lands and heroic acts of bravery and endurance. Maestro Wes Kenney and the Fort Collins Symphony (FCS) present their second Signature Concert at 7:30 PM on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at the Fort Collins Lincoln
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Stacy Garrop

Composer Stacy Garrop on “The Battle for the Ballot”

Woman Suffrage is coming – you know it.Carrie Chapman Catt Stacy Garrop’s The Battle for the Ballot features the voices of seven Suffragists: Carrie W. Clifford, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Adella Hunt Logan, Mary Church Terrell, Jane Addams, Susan B. Anthony, and Carrie Chapman Catt. The 70-year
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Halloween Escape to the Dungeon

The FCS Performs Thriller, Psycho, and more for Halloween Concert

The Fort Collins Symphony Performs Thriller, Psycho, and more for Halloween Concert Guest Appearances by FC Comic Con, FC Ghost Tours, and FC Ghostbusters Fort Collins:  The award-winning Fort Collins Symphony (FCS), under the baton of Maestro Wes Kenney, invites you to escape to the dungeon with an
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Jim David Square

Interview with composer James David

Dr. James David is a composer and professor based at CSU in Fort Collins. In 2020, he wrote Ostinato Fantastico for the FCS, a piece that celebrates the universally compelling and alluring force of repeated rhythms to create a thrilling tour-de-force for the orchestra. In this interview, James David
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SC1 Escape to Enchantment

Escape to Enchantment with the Fort Collins Symphony

Press Release: The award-winning Fort Collins Symphony (FCS), under the baton of Maestro Wes Kenney, invites you to escape to an evening of enchantment as it begins its 2022-2023 Season at 7:30 PM on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center.* The first Signature Concert of the 20
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22-23 Escape to New Realms season square

Now on Sale: Season 22-23, Escape to New Realms

The Fort Collins Symphony (FCS) launches its Season 2022-2023, “ESCAPE TO NEW REALMS,” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center. Under the baton of Maestro Wes Kenney, now in his 20th season, this award-winning orchestra will perform a magical season of classical,
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Beethoven's 7th Symphony in Movies and TV

Beethoven’s 7th Symphony in Movies and TV

How many movies and TV shows feature Beethoven’s 7th Symphony? Westworld (2018)X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)Mr. Robot (2015)The King’s Speech (2010)Knowing (2009)Love Exposure (2008)The Man from Earth (2007)The Fall (2006) Irreversible (2002)Photographing Fairies (1997)Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)Immortal B
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