Violinist Jennifer Frautschi will be featured on Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor.

With the holidays behind us, the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera gets back in a classical mindset with a Masterworks performance tonight, Jan. 9. Kayoko Dan will conduct the symphony in Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, and violin virtuoso Jennifer Frautschi will make her first appearance with the CSO.

Here are three good reasons tonight's concert is a must-see, in addition to supporting the local talent of the CSO musicians.

1

The featured soloist: Jennifer Frautschi, 40, began playing violin at age 3. When she was 18, Andre Previn invited her to perform at the Boston Chamber Music Society, which she has continued to do each year since.

She was selected by Carnegie Hall for its Distinctive Debuts series in 2004 as well as the European Concert Hall Organization's's Rising Stars series. As part of the latter, she made concert debuts in some of Europe's most celebrated concert venues in London, Salzburg, Amsterdam, Vienna and Paris.

In 2011, she played the world premiere of James Stephenson's Violin Concerto with the Minnesota Orchestra, a piece written specifically for her, and she played with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Boston Chamber Music Society at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This world-class musician and two-time Grammy nominee will play Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor with the CSO. The work is noteworthy because of Mendelssohn's repeated use of the soloist in an accompaniment role.

2

Osvaldo Golijov's Last Round for String Nonet: Not only will soloist Frautschi have her moment in the spotlight, but so will the CSO's string section on this work.

"It is a cool piece, and it will feature our string section prominently," says Sarah Marczynski, CSO community and patron engagement manager, of the contemporary composer's work. Marczynski says it is her understanding that Golijov will be the featured composer when the American Choral Directors Association meets in Chattanooga in a couple of years.

"This is a good introduction to him and his work," she says.

3

Even Beethoven gave his 7th Symphony a thumbs-up. Although he had numerous symphonic works to his credit, music history has recorded that the great composer remarked at its premiere that Symphony No. 7 was one of his best works.

"Beethoven is one of the top three composers people know, so audiences know they will like [his music]. The CSO is playing all four movements of the symphony in the second act. Beethoven has great contrast between movements in all his symphonies, and this symphony will really show off the different sections of the orchestra," Marczynski says.

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.