Season tickets sales have been brisk for the 2011-12 Coeur d'Alene Symphony Concert Series. A magical season it promises to be with a varied program of selections, composers and guest artists.

Magic of the Masters launches the subscription concert series on Oct. 7 at Boswell Hall in the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the campus of NIC. Guest artists are award-winning duo 88Squared, Jeff and Karen Savage, on faculty at Washington State University.

Jeff and Karen attended The Julliard School and have delighted audiences nationally and internationally. Other selections on the program are Mendelssohn's Fingal's Cave and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. The Jeanne Holmberg Memorial Charitable Trust is the major sponsor for 88Squared.

William Berry is well known as a fine performing artist and member of the Spokane Symphony as well as a highly respected composer, arranger, and educator. Holiday Magic, scheduled Dec. 10 at NIC, features Berry and his American Carols, along with choirs from Charter, Coeur d'Alene and Lake City High Schools in. Rimsky-Korsakov's Christmas Eve Suite will complete the concert.

One of the most popular concerts in the series has become the January matinee, this year called Magic for the Family, held on Jan. 28, at NIC at 2 p.m. Arrangements and selections are still being finalized at this writing but rumor has it that something pretty magical is on the list for the afternoon. Now where is my magic wand?

Encouraging young musicians is one important goal of the Coeur d'Alene Symphony. Artistic Magic, featuring the winners of the National Young Artists Competition, is scheduled for March 10 at NIC. Each year the competition grows in scope and numbers with entries well into the hundreds and from all over the map. Categories include several age and instrument or voice brackets.

As a symphony member myself, I am amazed at the quality and caliber of our winners, year after year. It is exciting to share in such a momentous performance in their lives and to send them forward with increased confidence.

The Magic of Jazz brings Christian Howes, jazz violinist, as the guest artist in the season finale on April 28. Howes is a classically trained musician with a degree in philosophy from Ohio State University. The Chicago Reader says, "Not since ... has a violinist ranged from pure classical to fuzz tone rock to convincing jazz with such authority."

He also works with young people through his innovative Creative Strings Workshop and as clinician for various colleges, educational and professional organizations. A master class with Christian Howes is tentatively scheduled in conjunction with his performance with the Symphony. Whitworth University is the major sponsor for his appearance.

The Symphony returns to Boswell Hall in the Schuler Performing Arts Center on the campus of NIC for all Magical Season Concerts. All concerts start at 7:30 p.m. except the Family Matinee in January. Season tickets are available by calling the symphony office at 765-3833 or stopping by the symphony office at 1042 West Mill, Suite 300 during business hours.

The Coeur d'Alene Symphony also performs for a number of other events in the community - A Messiah Sing-Along at Lake City Community Church on Dec. 3, Black and White Ball fundraiser for the symphony, Jan. 21 at Templin's Resort and Chamber Concerts held several times during the year.

The Coeur d'Alene Symphony has its roots in a community effort in 1979 when Robert Singletary gathered string players together for one concert. The next year, the orchestra was included with the new course offerings at NIC and was comprised of students and community members.

That arrangement continued until 1999, when with the financial support of the Orchestra Guild, the orchestra took steps to become an independent non-profit organization with its own Board of Directors.

In May 2000, the present Coeur d'Alene Symphony Orchestra was established. The CSO is still made up of community members and selected college students with some players bridging several different eras of the orchestra.

Community is still very important to the mission of the Orchestra as Board president Kip Adams says, "We are fortunate to have in our community a comprehensive selection of performing arts. We can take pride in the role of our orchestra in providing the opportunity for talented performers to play and for music lovers to enjoy exceptional performances of classical and semi-classical music. Your continued support is what maintains the vital cultural role of your Coeur d'Alene Symphony Orchestra."