Mozart's Requiem

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire symphony family, it is my pleasure to welcome you to a new season filled with the magic of live music and the joy of shared experiences. We are thrilled to present an extraordinary lineup of performances that promises to captivate your hearts and minds. Each concert offers a unique opportunity to engage with the art of symphonic music, showcasing both timeless classics and innovative compositions. We eagerly anticipate moving into our new Symphony home at the renovated Cox auditorium next summer and hope you will continue to join us as we celebrate this monumental achievement. Thank you for your unwavering support and generosity which makes the music possible. We can’t wait to make beautiful memories together this season!

Every time I stand before these remarkable musicians, I am overwhelmed with gratitude—not just for the opportunity to do what I love, but for the privilege of doing it alongside such a dedicated and talented group of people. Music, as many of you know, has the unique power to move us, to connect us in ways that transcend words, and it’s this connection that makes each performance special.

What makes an orchestra so powerful is that it’s never the work of one individual. It takes all of us—musicians, staff, board members, donors, and you, our patrons—coming together with a shared love of music and a belief in its transformative impact. Through this collective effort, we create something that’s much bigger than any one of us, something that resonates deeply with everyone who experiences it. I truly believe that the music we share has a profound effect on all involved, and for that, I am deeply thankful.

As we look toward to the future, there is much to be excited about. We are hopeful that the renovation of our home will move swiftly, and in the meantime, we are immensely grateful to Desert Hills for hosting us and to all of you for your continued support during this transition.

This season promises to be one of our best yet, filled with performances that will inspire and uplift. I hope tonight’s music touches you in a meaningful way, and that you’ll continue to be part of this journey with us. Together, we’re creating moments that stay with us long after the last note fades—and I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together.

Paul Wiens, Conductor and Artistic Director, earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa where he studied with Don V. Moses, sang as a member of the Atlanta Symphony Chamber Choir under the legendary Robert Shaw and taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Robert Fountain. During his 44-year academic career, he conducted choirs at Fulton High School-Atlanta (3), Clayton State University-Georgia (6), Bethel College-Kansas (1), University of Wisconsin-Madison (3) and Wheaton College (31). While a member of the Wheaton Conservatory of Music faculty from 1981-2012, he conducted the Concert Choir at 11 ACDA conventions: National (2), Central Division (6), State of Illinois (3). In 2012 he conducted Bach’s B-minor Mass with the Concert Choir and the Metropolis Chamber Orchestra. Under his leadership as Artistic Director and Conductor, the West Suburban Choral Union presented major choral/orchestral masterworks at Wheaton College from 1983-2006. He served as Chorus Master for five Wheaton College Artist Series performances under the baton of John Nelson. Upon retirement and appointment as Professor of Music Emeritus in 2012, Wiens has conducted the Chamber Singers since its founding in 2015.