By Merle Monahan/Contributing Writer
merlemonah@aol.com

COURTLAND—The Virginia Symphony will present its annual free concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, in the Southampton High School Auditorium.

Sponsored by Franklin-Southampton Concert Association, the concert is funded by the Camp Foundations.

“This is one of the nation’s leading symphony orchestras, and a wonderful opportunity for the public to see it in concert,” said Concert Association President Nancy Rowe. “It is because of the Camp Foundations’ support that we are able to do this. We are most grateful for this support.”

The symphony will perform a pops concert.

Under the leadership of Joann Faletta since 1991, the orchestra will be conducted by Benjamin Rous. Rous joined the symphony in August as the associate conductor.

He comes from Arizona, where he was assistant conductor of the Phoenix Symphony and conductor of the Phoenix Youth Symphony. Rous also held assistant conducting roles with the St. Louis Symphony and Ensemble Orchestral de Paris.

Rous is a 2000 magna cum laude graduate of Harvard with a bachelor’s of arts in music. He has performed as a violinist with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra Mozart under the batons of Claudio Abbado and Daniel Harding.

A performance by this orchestra is a real treat, Rowe said.

“We hope the public will take advantage of this opportunity,” she said.

For information, call Rowe at 653-2498.