For the last few weeks of the semester, the UI Symphony Orchestra has focused all of its energy on preparing for the final concert of the year. At 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the orchestra will perform a variety of classical works at Foellinger Great Hall in the Krannert Center.

The concert is expected to last about an hour and a half, with a brief intermission. Tickets are available for $4 for students, $7 for seniors and $10 for adults.

The orchestra also encourages attendees to bring new or gently used coats, hats, gloves and other winter apparel for a clothing drive with Champaign Unit 4 School District and Urbana School District 116.

Conductor Donald Schleicher, who is in his 21st season as music director and conductor of the UI Symphony Orchestra, is passionate about the musical selections the orchestra will be playing.

“The concert features the combination of the music of Stravinsky and Wagner,” Schleicher said. “Stravinsky, the ultimate instrumental composer, and Wagner, the ultimate vocal composer, serves as the concert diet, or, more fancily put, concert educational initiative.”

Justin Slater, freshman in FAA and bass instrumentalist, said concerts typically follow a structure consisting of “an opening piece like a concerto or serenade, a less serious piece and then a symphony.”

The University’s premier orchestra will follow a similar composition.

Schleicher said the first half of the concert incorporates a vocal component, opening with “Overture to the Opera: Rienzi” followed by Wagner’s “Wesendonck Lieder” songs for mezzo soprano and orchestra. Schleicher also said, following the intermission, the concert with open with “Circus Polka” by Stravinsky and will close with music from Stravinsky’s ballet “Firebird Suite.”

The performance will feature University graduate student Rebecca Wilson as the soloist in “Wesendonck Lieder” and conducting graduate student Cameron May as the conductor for “Circus Polka.”

Elsie Han, freshman in FAA, said she appreciates the music the orchestra is playing because they are “iconic and challenging pieces.”

To prepare these difficult pieces, the musicians have had full orchestra practices since the beginning of the semester, rehearsing every Tuesday and Thursday for about three hours. Han said in addition to the group rehearsals, she spends a lot of time practicing on her own.

“Personally, I practice at least an hour and a half every day,” Han said. “I don’t practice orchestra music every day, but probably every other day.”

Slater said he spends a similar amount of time in preparation for the performance.

“It’s necessary to practice in and outside of rehearsal,” Slater said. “Outside, you can work on personal issues and in rehearsals you can work on bigger picture things with the whole orchestra. (During rehearsal, the music) sounds amazing and it’s incredible to be surrounded by so many talented and dedicated musicians.”

After putting in so much time to perfect its music, the UI Symphony Orchestra is ready to share its pieces with the community.

“People should go see the concert because it’s a great program and we all worked really hard to be able to play all of the music,” Han said. “We just want to put on a good performance for the audience and that’s not possible if there isn’t one.”

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