Halie Loren joins the Glacier Symphony for the Masquerade Winter Gala.
The Glacier Symphony will once again launch a grand Winter Gala Jan. 15 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell, marking the welcome return of the Flathead Valley’s touted social event of Winter 2019!
The successful masquerade ball and auction, first launched in January of 2019, was canceled last year, due to the pandemic.
“We are delighted that this year we once again can return to an evening of great music, dining, dancing and fun,” says Maestro John Zoltek. “I know everyone will love our special guest Halie Loren.”
Loren was born in Alaska and began her performing and song-writing career at the age of 13. She is known for her lush “ethereal” voice and for bringing a fresh and original perspective to time-honored musical standards in the jazz and pop genres. She has garnered national and international awards and critical acclaim for the eight albums she has released to date, often interpreting her own well-received compositions.
The evening’s festivities begin at 6 p.m. and include a dinner, live and silent auctions, a musical menu of pops, jazz and lighter classical music provided by members of the Glacier Symphony, and of course, dancing! The attire is formal and in keeping with the Masquerade theme, masks (the festive kind) are highly encouraged, as are costumes.
“This year there will be particularly special because we will be celebrating Maestro Zoltek’s 25th anniversary as music director and conductor that evening,” says Board President Mark Holston. He also welcomes “gifted jazz/pop singer and songwriter” Loren and her long-time collaborator and arranger Matt Treder on piano. Together they promise “a romantic evening of song set to beautiful orchestral accompaniment.”
Loren is also looking forward to her performance in Kalispell. “I’m so excited to finally perform with the Glacier Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Zoltek,” she says. “This has been a collaboration two years in the making, and I’m just so thrilled it will finally be able to happen.”
Loren says she enjoys performing with orchestras. “There are more textures, more musical drama, and it requires a little different approach on my part, because I am one of so many more players on the stage than in my more typical small-group setting.”
The contrasting experience, and the novelty of being “enveloped by this whole different world of sound” are augmented by her faith in the maestro. “I know I can trust that the director, who is such an accomplished musician himself, will expertly steer the whole group toward a beautiful result.”
Director of Operations and Development Ron Osterbauer concludes, “We hope that many of our patrons, and maybe even those not as familiar with us, will come out and join the fun of dining and dancing the night away in support of keeping the music alive and well in the Flathead Valley.”
For more information and tickets, call the Glacier Symphony and Chorale Office at 406-407-7000, email [email protected], or visit the website. Those wishing to attend this special event are requested to reserve their tickets by Jan. 4, 2022.