FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Music lovers, the violins are tuning and the horns are calling. Treat yourself to a grand evening of soaring sound and skillful passion. The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, formerly North Arkansas Symphony, returns to Walton Arts Center’s Baum Walker Hall on Thursday, March 17, at 7 p.m. This opening concert completes two years of reorganization, debt-elimination, fundraising and rebuilding, during which the symphony hired Paul Haas as the new music director. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 9 a.m. and range from $15 to $35. Tickets will be available through the Walton Arts Center box office at 479-443-5600 or at the Walton Arts Center website.

The opening concert program includes:

• Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 E Minor
• Joshua Penman: Songs the Plants Taught Us
• Felix Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto E Minor, featuring Liana Gourdjia, violin soloist

“We’re so excited to show Northwest Arkansas what we’ve been building over the past two years. I’m thrilled at the quality of musicians we’ve been able to recruit – this is an orchestra we can all be extremely proud to call our own,” said Haas.

The symphony's mission says: "The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas exists to lead our audiences in an exploration of universal truths and beauty, allowing us to connect, stimulate and enrich Arkansas, particularly the Northwest region, through musical performances of uncompromising quality."

Haas is the newly-appointed music director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, and his conducting engagements have included performances with the San Antonio Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, among others, as well as festival appearances. Recently, Haas conducted the National Symphony Orchestra with Itzhak Perlman as soloist to rave reviews.

After a national search, Haas, a 39-year old graduate of Yale University and the Juilliard School and founder of Sympho, a groundbreaking concert production company, was introduced as the symphony's music director at a press conference on Aug. 25. After holding open auditions, which drew musicians from a seven-state area, Haas has built an impressive orchestra that consists of approximately 75 musicians. The nucleus is composed of Arkansans who are professional, homegrown musicians eager to perform for their own.

Media support for Symphony of Northwest Arkansas is provided by NWA Media and KUAF 91.3FM/NPR. For more information about this performance or others, contact the Walton Arts Center Box Office by calling 479-443-5600 or by visiting waltonartscenter.org.

The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas is the new name for the North Arkansas Symphony, which was founded in 1954 and has provided more than 50 years of musical performances and educational opportunities. The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas is a not-for-profit organization currently engaged in a new partnership with Walton Arts Center. The symphony will present classical and pops performances for symphonic music lovers in Northwest Arkansas. To learn more about the symphony and Haas, visit sonamusic.org.