Even though the weather is less than springlike, it's time once again for the Amherst Symphony Orchestra's spring concert, which will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 22 at Amherst Middle School, 55 Kings Highway, Snyder

For this concert, the orchestra is featuring Don Harry, principal tuba of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and a repertoire of music featuring the tuba, which some may not think of as a solo instrument.

On the evening's program will be selections from Anton Dvorak's Slavonic Dances and then two pieces featuring Harry; "The Concerto for Tuba and Strings" by Arild Plau and "From the Shores of the Mighty Pacific" by Herbert Clarke.

The Clarke piece was originally written for coronet and arranged for tuba by Amherst Symphony Orchestra tuba player Loren Geiger.

"Arranging a piece like that isn't easy to do," Harry said. "She's a great arranger and I added an octave to the cadenzas."

The concert will then conclude with Alexander Borodin's Second Symphony.

Harry, an Anadarko, Okla., native and a member of the Delaware (Lenape) Tribe of Western Oklahoma, has played with the Buffalo Philharmonic since 1973.

He is an associate professor of tuba at the Eastman School of Music and is a member of the Eastman Brass. He was also a tuba instructor at the Juilliard School in New York City from 1978 to 1988.

He noted that Plau's the Concerto for Tuba and Strings is a favorite piece of his students at the Eastman.

He has had solo performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Colorado Philharmonic, U.S. Military Academy Band at West Point, the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C., Mansfield University, Fredonia State College, the University at Buffalo, Creative Associates, Sousa Live at Wolf Trap, Indiana University, the University of California at Los Angeles and many other recitals and master classes.

Harry is currently completing and editing a solo compact disc to be released in the next few months.

"It's such a great thing for the people in the community to have a community orchestra," Harry said. "The BPO fills just a small niche in the community."

The preconcert event, "Tons of Tubas," will begin at 6:15 and will feature tuba players of various ages playing selections while audience members filter into the auditorium.

"It's a very mellow, unusual sound," said Joan Fishburn, a member of the orchestra. "It's a unique musical opportunity. I've never heard anything like it."

Director Steve Thomas will also be celebrating his 10th year as conductor and music director of the Amherst Symphony.

Thomas is the coordinator of music for the Amherst Central Schools and directs the Amherst High School Orchestra program.

He has taught for 24 years in the Amherst and Williamsville school districts and at the University at Buffalo and guest conducts at festivals throughout the northeast.

He is a violinist, violist and pianist and is also the music director for Vivace String Camp and has been the concertmaster for Shea's Performing Arts Center.

"The concert is also a salute to the organizations that support the orchestra financially," Fishburn said. She noted that members of those organizations will serve as ushers for the concert.

A preconcert dinner will be held at the middle school cafeteria from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $8, but must be reserved in advance by Thursday, April 19. Payments may be mailed to Amherst Symphony, Special Chicken Dinner, P.O. Box 1083, Williamsville, N.Y. 14231.

There will also be a free shuttle service from the Berryman Drive entrance of Amherst Senior High School beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Admission to the concert is free, but donations will be accepted.

For more information on the orchestra or on the concert, call 633-4606, e-mail ASOrch@aol.com, or visit the Web site www.amherst.ny.us/News/Symphony.asp.

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