The Newark Symphony Orchestra began its 60th-anniversary season on Oct. 25 at The Independence School with a program that paired familiar composers with University of Delaware faculty, students and a nationally recognized guest soloist. The concert set the tone for a year that looks back on the ensemble's history while leaning into its partnerships with other musicians across the region.
A Community Ensemble Marks Six Decades
The orchestra traces its origins to 1966, when musicians first rehearsed as a community group in the living room of founding director Harley Hastings. It has since grown into a volunteer ensemble of roughly 60 members. Hastings led the group until 1982, Roman Pawlowski served as music director from 1983 through 2009, and Simeone Tartaglione has led the orchestra since 2010. Tartaglione conducted the opening program, which moved from the national anthem to Anthony DiLorenzo's "Aura," Richard Strauss's "Vienna Fanfare," Mozart and Tchaikovsky.
University Partners Shape the Opening Program
The University of Delaware connection gave the anniversary opener a distinct character. Trombone professor Bruce Tychinski performed alongside fellow faculty members Heidi Lucas on horn and Brianne Borden on trumpet, together with the University of Delaware Trombone Choir and Newark Symphony brass players. The collaboration fits a season the orchestra is using to highlight its relationships with other musicians and organizations in the region.
Guest Soloist and Closing Symphony
Daniel Bates, principal oboist of the National Philharmonic Orchestra, was the featured soloist in Mozart's Oboe Concerto in C Major. The afternoon concluded with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, one of the composer's most recognizable large orchestral works. The orchestra also documented the performance, posting a 51-photo album from the concert by photographer Eric Dunford.
A Season Built on Collaboration and Education
Rather than treating its anniversary solely as a retrospective, the organization plans to involve the University of Delaware, the Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Newark Symphony Orchestra Chorus, other community choruses, professional soloists and composers across its seven concerts in 2026-27. Students will share the stage in four of those programs, and the season is scheduled to close in May with Respighi's "Pines of Rome" and the Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band. Beyond the concert calendar, the Betsy L. Kent Youth Concerto Competition gives young players a chance to perform with a full orchestra, and the Instruments in the Attic program refurbishes and supplies instruments to middle and high school students.