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Williamson County Symphony Orchestra

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Written by Beth Wade Wednesday, 07 November 2007

Musicians blend talent for Williamson County tours

The Williamson County Symphony does not claim to give typical orchestra performances. Rather than playing hour-long pieces, the group performs condensed versions of the classics and other favorite pieces, said John Gordon, president of the board of directors.

“We give people music from classical or contemporary [genres] and even movie music,” he said. “It tends to be Pops-type concerts. If you don’t like what we’re playing right now, wait five minutes, and we will play something else you might enjoy.”

The Williamson County Symphony Orchestra in concert.

The orchestra is made up of 70 musicians who donate their time providing Williamson County residents with opportunities for free musical performances.

“Some [performers] are quite good, but they do it for the love of the music,” Gordon said. “Generally, everyone has other jobs, some at IBM, some are teachers or music teachers, and we also have some college and even high school age students.”

Formed in 2002, the orchestra was first named the Hill Country Community Orchestra by two women who wanted a musical outlet beyond church performances. The group began with 15 to 20 members, but has grown, Gordon said.

Conductor Dr. Thomas E. Rainey, who had worked for Round Rock ISD, responded to the orchestra’s ad for a conductor when the group first formed, Gordon said.

“The luckiest day for the orchestra was when he volunteered to lead us,” Gordon said. “We could have searched for a year and probably not found anyone better than the person who knocked on our door and said, ‘I want to help.’”

The group later changed its name and with the help of Gordon, who plays trumpet, was established as a non-profit organization.

The orchestra’s mission is to provide amateur musicians with a place to increase their performing experience.

Rehearsals begin in August with the first concert in October or November. Each season, the group performs nine concerts all over the county, including two in the spring, two in the fall, two in the outdoors, two for Christmas and a special concert at Fort Hood for the troops.

“The constant comment from someone who has seen us before and then returned for another concert is, ‘You’ve gotten better,’ because we improve each year,” he said. “Each year, we play more substantial music and each year the concerts have become more substantial and the enjoyment grows.”

The orchestra has come to expect large crowds at the performances, which average 300 to 400 people for the fall and spring shows and can increase to 600 attendees for the Christmas shows.