We hurried back from Pittsburgh on Friday (a 6-ish hour trip through mostly lovely mountain scenery) so we could make it to a special event; thanks to our friends the Marstons, Jim and I were able to attend our first concert with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.

The RSO has been a bringing together music lovers for over 65 years, with performances at a variety of venues throughout the area. On Friday night, we made our way to the Salem Civic Center to enjoy a presentation of Broadway A to Z … ABBA to Les Mis, featuring iconic selections from 16 different Broadway musicals (plus a shout-out to Dirty Dancing, set in the Blue Ridge and currently in its 30th anniversary year). Joining conductor/music director David Stewart Wiley and the talented members of the orchestra, performers Andréa Burns and Nicholas Rodriguez truly brought the music to life.

To add to the fun of the evening, the Civic Center is transformed for the shows with group tables filling its main floor. Along with a full crowd, we joined Colleen and Brett Marston and some friends to enjoy a light dinner and drinks before the show. The event was simultaneously neighborly, friendly, and grand, and was definitely worth speeding home!