The Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra's Grand Finale: "An Afternoon of Symphonic Brilliance" Featuring Violinist Eliot Heaton

YPSILANTI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS “AN AFTERNOON OF SYMPHONIC BRILLIANCE” FEATURING VIOLINIST ELIOT HEATON ON APRIL 19 AT LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL 

CONDUCTED BY MUSIC DIRECTOR ADAM C. RICCINTO

Join the YSO for the season’s grand finale with musical showstoppers by Mendelsohn, Mozart, and Gounod, and special guest artist Eliot Heaton performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto

YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN, March 9, 2026— Music Director Adam C. Riccinto and the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra (YSO) present the finale of their 27th season this April with a concert program showcasing the symphonic brilliance of several familiar and exhilarating works. The YSO will perform classical masterpieces including Felix Mendelsohn’s Fourth Symphony (“Italian”), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Overture to the Mariage of Figaro, and Charles Gounod’s Petite Symphony for Winds. 

In addition, the highlight of the program will be the performance of the Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major by guest artist and virtuoso Eliot Heaton. The performance by Mr. Heaton—who is the former concertmaster of the Detroit Opera Orchestra and now performs with the renowned Philadelphia Orchestra—is not to be missed. The YSO takes the stage at the Lincoln High School Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m.  

“This concert, which brings to life the symphonic brilliance of the orchestra and its music, is truly a grande finale to a fantastic season,” said Music Director Adam C. Riccinto. “The YSO is especially thrilled to share the stage with the brilliant violinist Eliot Heaton. We look forward to treating our audience to an exceptional afternoon of exquisite music as we celebrate the close of another great season.”

Violinist Eliot Heaton joined The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2024. He previously served as concertmaster of the Detroit Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and the Saginaw Bay Symphony. He was also guest concertmaster with the Chautauqua, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Fort Wayne, and Terre Haute symphonies and has played in the sections of the Detroit and Pittsburgh symphonies.

Mr. Heaton has appeared as a soloist with a number of orchestras throughout the Midwest, performing concertos by Tchaikovsky, Korngold, Bruch, Khachaturian, Bach, Stravinsky, and Mozart. He is also an enthusiastic proponent of new music, an interest that began with Oberlin’s Contemporary Music Ensemble and continued with the Indiana New Music Ensemble and New Music Detroit.

Mr. Heaton was a double major at Oberlin College and Conservatory, earning degrees in history and violin performance while also competing on the tennis team. He later received his Master of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with a minor in jazz studies. His primary violin teachers included Marilyn McDonald, Kevork Mardirossian, Linda Case, and Jan Butler. When he’s not playing the violin, Mr. Heaton enjoys reading, tennis, and spending time with his wife and their two cats. He plays a 2019 Joseph Curtin violin.

German composer Felix Mendelsohn (1809-1847) completed his Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 (“Italian Symphony”) in 1833. The work was inspired by his travels in Italy and captures the color, spirit, and brightness he found as he toured throughout the country. The four-movement work begins with a burst of sound marked by its energy and rhythmic vitality. The second movement shifts to present a more solemn atmosphere, recalling an impressive religious procession that the composer witnessed during his time in Rome. A graceful, flowing minute, contrasting with a brighter fanfare, follows. The final Saltarello movement, based on lively Italian dance rhythms, brings the symphony to a rousing close. 

Ludwig von Beethoven (1770-1827) composed the Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 in 1806. Written for violinist Franz Clement, the concerto was premiered in Vienna but was not immediately successful. The work was revied several decades later, when it was performed by the young prodigy Joseph Joachim. The concerto has since become one of the most widely performed works in the repertoire. The concerto opens with several strikes on the tympany, a gesture similar to the famous “Fate” motive from the opening of the composer’s Symphony No. 5. The second movement is reflective, with the solo violin embellishing delicate melodies above the orchestra. The final movement provides a lively and playful conclusion, distinguished by energy and virtuosic passages for the soloist.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s (1756–1791) Overture to the Marriage of Figaro opens one of the composer’s most beloved operas. Composed in 1786, the opera was written to a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte and tells a fast-paced comedic story of love, disguises, and clever servants outwitting their masters. Unlike many operatic overtures of the time, this piece does not quote melodies from the opera itself. Rather, Mozart captures the spirit and energy of the drama through lively tempos, sparkling strings, and playful musical exchanges. 

Known primarily as a composer of operas, French composer Charles Gounod (1818-1893) wrote the   Petite Symphonie for Winds in 1885 specifically for flutist Paul Taffanel, who commissioned a chamber piece for winds. The work is composed for nine performers and is modeled in form after Mozart’s wind serenades. The four movements follow a traditional symphonic structure. The work opens with a brief introduction before moving into a graceful and lively theme. The second features warm and expressive melodies, particularly in the flute. The third movement’s scherzo is playful and energetic, with quick exchanges between instruments, bringing the work to spirited close.

Get tickets to see the YSO with soloist Eliot Heaton on Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. at Lincoln High School’s Performing Arts Center, 7425 Willis Road, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197. Tickets are $13 for adults and children over 10, $6 for seniors, $7 for students, and $30/ per family. Children 10 and under are free. Purchase tickets at A2tix or at the door. For more concert information visit www.ypsilantisymphony.org.

Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors: Bank of Ann Arbor, Dennis Green Recordings, Dykema, Faber Piano Institute, in2being, Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts, Dan and Linda Wagner, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, Ypsilanti Performance Space, Zingerman's Community of Businesses and our Business Sponsors: Ann Arbor Smiles, The Bundesen Team, Easthaven Animal Hospital, Huron Pet Supply, Inside Out Concierge LLC, Meadow Montessori School, The Pho House, Satchell’s BBQ, and Sidetracks, Inc. A special thank you to The Thomas P. McAndrew Foundation Donation In Memory of Martha Peet McAndrew. We are also grateful for our 3rd Annual Fundraising Auction Sponsors: Karen Attaway, Joshua Cohen, Helen Clark. Please visit our website sponsor page to view an ever growing list of 100+ In-Kind Auction Sponsors:  Our Sponsors | Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra

About the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra

The Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra (YSO) is proud of its unique and significant cultural contribution to the Ypsilanti area. The YSO’s mission is “to share our passion for music through innovative programming, creative collaboration, and arts advocacy,” and to “actively contribute to the music appreciation and education of our musicians, organizational members and audience.” Led by Founder and Music Director Adam C. Riccinto, the Symphony marks its 27th anniversary with the 2025-2026 Season. 

More information about the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra can be found at www.ypsilantisymphony.org, on Instagram @ypsilantisymphony, on our YouTube channel,  and on Facebook.