Courtesy photo

The Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) will broadcast a virtual concert event featuring a 21-piece string orchestra at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The concert, titled Virtually There: Sounds of a Moment with SoNA, will take place at the Momentary’s Fermentation Hall, and will include a Q&A with three of the featured contemporary composers following the show. The free online broadcast will be streamed via Facebook and sonamusic.org.

“This is going to be an exciting concert for me – and not just because it’s an opportunity to make music together in the same physical space again,” said SoNA music director Paul Haas. “What’s equally rewarding is that we’re delving deep into the concepts of time, space and music, which combine into a profoundly beautiful experience for us as listeners.”

SoNA musicians will perform Appalachian Waltz by Mark O’Connor, Suite for Lower Strings by Clarice Assad, Lyric for Strings by George Walker, Pizzicato by Vivian Fung, Slo-Mo by Adam Schoenberg, Finale from Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten, Place by Haas, and Finale from Serenade in C for Strings by Tchaikovsky. Fung, Schoenberg and Haas will participate in a post-show composer discussion.

SoNA executive director D. Riley Nicholson said the program features timeless music from the past, while also contemplating new meaning and interpretation by contemporary voices of today.

“For many of us, time seems to expand and contract in strange ways in this unusual year,” Nicholson said. “As a remedy, music has the ability to ground us in the present moment, while also allowing us to transcend distant eras. Sounds of a Moment highlights music’s power to bring the present into focus through the lens of our musical past and future.”

The concert is part of the Momentary’s “Virtually There” series that takes audiences into the homes, studios and lives of artists from around the world.

Previous events have included Gospel Trio: “A Song in the Night” and performance artist Marilyn Arsem.

“We’re thrilled to present this virtual concert with SoNA as it very much speaks to this current moment in time,” said Stuart Rogers, head of music and festivals at the Momentary. “Music has a storytelling ability that brings people together in a very approachable way. Gathering together may look very different these days, but with ‘Virtually There,’ we’ve been able to still experience new sounds, discover new artists near and far, and allow audiences to connect with these artists on another level.”

The performance recording will remain available on both SoNA and Momentary Facebook pages, on SoNA’s website, and on the Momentary’s YouTube channel following the video’s premiere.