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New venues await symphony Medford concerts move to Craterian Theater By Bill Varble of the Mail Tribune The Rogue Valley Symphony will present all five of its Medford concerts in the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater next season, symphony officials said. In the past, and through the 1999-2000 season now underway, the symphony's Medford concerts have been presented in North and South Medford high schools. In another change, the symphony will move its Josephine County shows to the new Grants Pass High School Performing Arts Center. The Ashland-based symphony annually presents five sets of concerts, making short road trips each November, January and March to play in Grants Pass and Medford, presenting the same program in each town. Symphony Executive Director Francis Van Ausdal says the symphony is one of a very few symphony orchestras in the country routinely going on the road to take programs to the hometowns of patrons. He hailed glitzy new halls in Medford and Grants Pass. "For the first time in the history of the orchestra, we will be able to play all of our symphony concerts in halls that are specifically designed for presenting the performing arts," he said. Gary Lovre, president of the Rogue Valley Symphony Association, said symphony patrons had long expressed interest in getting concerts moved to the Craterian, which in 1997 emerged from a multi-million-dollar makeover as one of the top performing arts centers in the Northwest. Craterian Executive Director Stephen McCandless said the deal underscores the commitment of both groups to bring artists and audiences together in an environment that enhances the experience of the music. "The symphony is an outstanding organization that never rests on its laurels and always pursues a higher standard of excellence,'' he said. "Craterian Performances is pleased to be a part of its journey." Craterian Performances is the Crate's presenting arm for booking acts into the venue, which it also rents to other presenters. Medford shows will continue to take place at 8 p.m. Saturdays. Sunday matinees will be added in October and May. Grants Pass concerts will move from Friday nights to Sunday afternoons. Most concerts there have been given in churches, although the very first was in the old high school gym. Grants Pass symphony supporter Jim Rich praised the "splendid acoustics" of the GPHS Performing Arts Center. There are no plans to move Ashland shows, which will stick to Southern Oregon University's Music Recital Hall. Ashland show times will move, however, from Sunday afternoons to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. Van Ausdal said there will be little or no change in ticket prices for the coming season. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA