The Austin Symphony Orchestra is following the old adage “Make new friends, but keep the old ones” for its 57th season.

The orchestra will feature performers old and new this year as its season begins next month.

On Oct. 28, nationally known storyteller Kevin Kling, recently featured in Minnesota Monthly Magazine and on various public television and radio shows, will do the narration for “The Burning Wisdom of Finn McCool.” The music is an original composition by Victor Zupanc. In the same concert, an Austin native and cellist, Darrin Sellers, comes home to play “Adagio on Celtic Themes” by Max Bruch. The 65-piece orchestra will perform “Irish Suite” by Anderson and Irish Rhapsody No. 1 by Stanford to round out the “Once Upon A Celtic Carnival” theme of the day.

Handel’s Messiah is a well-known oratorio and will be performed at St. Augustine’s Cathedral on Dec. 15. Local soloists will be accompanied by the orchestra. The last time the piece was performed at St. Augustine’s by the orchestra was in 1979 under the direction of Richard Larson.

A special treat on March 2 is a return trip by Italian pianist Roberto Plano. This will be his sixth appearance with the Austin Symphony and will be extra-special, because he brings with him his wife, Paola Del Negro, also an accomplished pianist. They will be performing the Mozart “Piano Concerto No. 7” for two pianos. The other half of the “Sounds of Peace” concert features the Austin High School choir, under the direction of Brian Johnson, and they will be performing Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man.” Following the concert will be a celebration dinner at the historic Hormel Home, and will also include musical entertainment.

The ASO season wraps up on April 13 with a Young Artists concert. Our music director and conductor, Stephen J. Ramsey, is starting his 20th year with the organization.

Season tickets are available at Hy-Vee and the Coffee House on Main. The cost for all four concerts is $50, but first time buyers can buy a season ticket for half price. They can also be obtained by calling Marge Dunlap at 507-433-5647. More information on the upcoming season can be seen at our web site, www.austinmnsymphony.org or our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AustinMNSymphony.