Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Promises Explosions at Upcoming Concert

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra opens up its summer season at in nearby Alpharetta with a bang, a lot of them in fact. The ASO presents its annual Fourth of July celebration Monday, July 4 at 8 p.m., followed by a fireworks display.

Guest conductor Rob Fisher leads the ASO and the U.S. Army Chorus in the All-American Celebration with patriotic sing-alongs and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

At the start of the evening, the 94th Airlift Wing Dobbins Base Honor Guard will join the ASO on stage to present the colors. Concertgoers will have their own mini-American flags to join in the celebration.

Before the concert even begins the entertainment starts, with the Top of the Lawn program bringing musicians and special guests to the lawn for chats with ASO Insider and program annotator Ken Meltzer.

And concertgoers can continue questions by text-messaging them for Music Director Robert Spano and guest conductors, ASO players and visiting soloists during intermissions, with Meltzer tracking down the artists for live answers via backstage video.

This will be the first of four ASO concerts in Alpharetta:

• Monday, July 4, 8 p.m. - All-American Celebration.
• Friday, July 15, 8:30 p.m. - the fourth Atlanta Symphony-Turner Classic Movies collaboration, with staff conductor Jere Flint leading the ASO in music from the classic film Casablanca, and Ben Mankiewicz as host.
• Saturday, July 30, 8 p.m. - Principal Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski leads the ASO in Cirque de la Symphonie, combining world-class acrobatics and artistry with classical masterpieces and memorable contemporary music.
• Saturday, Aug. 13, 8 p.m. - Krajewski again leads the ASO in the summer season closing concert, a collaboration on stage with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

For all 2011 Orchestra concerts, family four-pack ticket packages are available, which include: four tickets for lawn ($60) or four tickets for pavilion seating ($80), four food baskets, four lawn chair rentals, and one parking pass.

Ovations, the on-site caterer, offers themed cuisine to complement the programming of all ASO concerts at the Amphitheatre. Concertgoers may pre-order a picnic basket (which serves two people), or enjoy themed specialty items from the concessions. Those with box seating and/or admission to the Nalley Cars VIP Club may choose to enjoy the separate themed-menu available in the Club for Atlanta Symphony performances.

This year, concertgoers will be able to pre-order a picnic basket and view the full menu available for each concert, via the General Info/Food and Beverage section online at vzwamp.com.

Tickets for these performances are $12 to $35, and are available online at atlantasymphony.org, or by calling 404-733-5000. Tickets may also be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, and the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office, located in the Woodruff Arts Center at 15th and Peachtree Streets. Box office hours are Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday noon to 8 p.m.

Tickets may also be purchased at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Box Office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.