Albany Symphony Orchestra offers free tickets to storm victims, volunteers

ALBANY — The Albany Symphony Orchestra is offering free tickets to its Feb. 11 concert to storm recovery volunteers and those whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the January storms and tornado.

The symphony also will be collecting funds for Grow Albany — an effort to replant the hundreds of trees that were toppled by the destructive storm system that ripped through the area on Jan. 2-3 and 21-22.

“We wanted to do something for the community, but there’s not a whole lot that a nonprofit can do,” Mari Wright, executive director of the Albany Symphony, said Monday. “Our community has suffered so much.”

What the orchestra’s board of directors decided to do, she said, is offer free tickets to both those affected by the storms and those who have worked hard to help storm victims recover.

“Anyone with a loss at their home can get complimentary tickets,” Wright said. “They just need to call our office at (229) 430-8933.” The free tickets are not available online, so those wanting to take advantage of the offer must call the symphony office.

Wright said the arts organization has been attempting to find a list to contact storm volunteers.

“Many of them are away from home and, with things like they are right now, there’s not a lot for them to do while they’re here,” she said.

With all the destruction, coupled with the loss of life and property, and interrupted power, symphony officials say they hope the concert might provide some relief from the stress. The concert, “A Romantic Evening,” starts at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Albany Municipal Auditorium at 201 N. Jackson St. The Transatlantic French Horn Quartet will be guest artists performing with the symphony that evening.

“It’s just a little bit of pleasant escape,” Wright said. “It starts early and it’s over early, so it can help make for a pleasant evening.”

The symphony board also decided to raise funds at its February and March concerts to replant the trees at Tift Park that were broken and toppled by the storms. That dovetails with the Grow Albany campaign that was started by Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful, the city of Albany, Dougherty County and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, which will initially focus on that park area.

“We’re going to have something in the lobby at this concert and at the March concert asking people for contributions for Grow Albany and replanting the trees at Tift Park,” Wright said.

General admission tickets are $25 for adults, and $10 for students and children. The symphony’s website is albanysymphony.org.