Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley Announces May 14 Concert

LINDSBORG, KAN. – Bethany College is proud to announce the Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley's (COSV) final concert of the season on Sunday, May 14, at 4 p.m. The performance, held at Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg, Kan., will feature works by Clarke, Faure, and Beethoven and is free and open to the public. 

The COSV is a unique, auditioned regional ensemble of professional musicians supported by Bethany College and the Lindsborg Arts Council. The ensemble includes Bethany faculty members and Wichita, Manhattan, Salina, Lawrence, and Kansas City. Under the musical direction of Keith Dodson, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Studies, the COSV seeks to educate and engage audience members through the performance of orchestral masterworks. 

"As a musician and connoisseur of classical music, I believe it is essential to support the COSV as it brings a high-quality performance and people to our local area together through their appreciation of music," says President Elizabeth Mauch. 

Concertmaster Ann Samuelson, a retired Instructor of Music in Violin/Viola and Piano Proficiency at Bethany College, will lead the performance. Samuelson is a member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and maintains a private studio of violin and viola students. 

Nancy Johnson has served as the ensemble's principal second violinist and holds the same position in the Wichita Symphony. She is also a faculty member at Bethel College and Hesston College, where she teaches private violin students. 

The Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley also features musicians Boris Vayner, Meagan Dodson, Andrew Book, Colleen White, Alyssa Morris, Amy Guffey, Susan Gustavson Maxwell, Meri Jenkins, Larry Dean, Daniel Hinman, and Kurt Gartner. 



Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The mission of Bethany College is to educate, develop, and challenge individuals to reach for truth and excellence as they lead lives of faith, learning, and service. At Bethany, students join a community of dedicated educators and caring mentors who walk alongside them as they discover, explore, and navigate the path to their purpose. Bethany College is online at bethanylb.edu and is located in Lindsborg, Kansas, the fine arts and crafts capital of the state.