Minding Your Business - Cape Symphony

From the humble beginnings of a group of musicians discussing how to become an orchestra sitting at a kitchen table in Chatham in 1962, the seed for the Cape Symphony was planted.  Today the Cape Symphony is the second largest professional orchestra in the state.

         I had the pleasure of speaking with Joseph Marchio, the symphony’s assistant director who is also known to many of us as the Chatham Chorale’s music director. 

“Our goal is to reach out and share the power of music,” said Marchio. “We want to bring the art of music to every corner of the Cape!”  And looking at their schedule of events just this year, Cape Symphony is well on its way to achieving that goal.  

Most concerts are held in the Barnstable Performing Arts Center, performing  “anything from magnificent classics to popular hits always with an emphasis on beautiful music,” said Marchio.  In early April they performed an all Beethoven program. Upcoming concerts include both classical and popular. 

“Coming up in May, the Symphony will present ‘Sing us a Song: the Music of Billy Joel,’” said Marchio. And this summer, mark your calendars, on June 4 and 5 for “To The Sea” also in Barnstable with a Q and A before the concert led by Marchio; James Blachy is the guest conductor.

             On April 13th two of the 2022 Chatham Music Club scholarship recipients Kai Wayen and Aleksander Mohmand Borkowski will perform at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod in Yarmouth as a benefit for the Symphony.  And as part of their 2025 winter series, concerts were held at the Pelham House in Dennis Port.

“I’m very excited about how we’re marking the 50th anniversary of Jaws this year,” Marchio said.  “This summer the Symphony is going to Martha’s Vineyard, where the movie was filmed,  to perform the soundtrack with a showing of the movie.” 

“The future of the Cape Symphony lies in inspiring, educating and uniting the Cape Cod community through exceptional music and inclusive educational programs,” said Ignacio Mortell, Director of Marketing.  “We are committed to creating experiences that engage and resonate with every member of our community.” 

Marchio spoke excitedly about the "education wing” of the Symphony.  “We have educational centers both in Barnstable across from 4 C’s and in Falmouth.”  They have classes for children of all ages from preschool on up.  They offer musical instrument lessons from bagpipe to the viola, voice lessons, and dance classes: ballet, tap, contemporary and hip hop. There’s a youth orchestra too.

If you’ve never experienced a “CapePops”  or "Masterpiece Concert” make the time, it’s fabulous. We are so fortunate to have the Cape Symphony here on the Cape all year round.