Cd'A Symphony season finale April 28

The Coeur d'Alene Symphony presents its season finale - a fusion of classical and jazz genres at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, in the Schuler Performing Arts Center at North Idaho College.

Featured soloist will be Christian Howes, jazz violinist who has electrified the international jazz scene with his ability to fuse traditional classical styles with creative uses of jazz.

A classically trained violinist, Howes formerly served on the faculty of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass.

The concert opens as the orchestra plays selected movements from Anton Bruckner's First Symphony, a majestic piece from the Romanic era.

Howes then commands the stage. The orchestra shifts into hoedown mode for the "Concerto for Jazz Violin and Orchestra" by Scott Routenberg. Consisting of three movements - Blue Reel, Ballad and Step Dance - this piece reminds one of Copland and Bernstein, very American sounding, with a virtuosic part for the soloist.

Howes continues to play with the full orchestra during a piece Eastern Washington University music professor Michael Waldrop composed for his wife, Ivana. It's a samba/bossa nova style, and in 2002 he arranged the original work for jazz quartet and orchestra.

In addition to these pieces - Howes will play original pieces and arrangements with a rhythm section and for solo violin with loop pedal. These will range in style from jazz, classical, rock and world music; and the exact program may not be decided until the very moment they are performed.

Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors, $8 students. Special offer: buy one ticket and get one of the same value free, if you purchase from the symphony office by April 27. This offer not valid at the door or other ticket outlets.

Tickets are available from the symphony office, 765-3833, online at www.cdasymphony.org, Great Harvest Bread Co., Burt's Music or at the door.