World-class 19-year-old violinist Chad Hoopes was featured in the New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s first show of their promised “season of surprises,” Thursday, Oct. 3, in downtown New Haven.

NHSO have been serenading the New Haven public with a wide range of musical genres for decades and they are now starting their 120 season.

Music Director, William Boughton, has several years of experience in conducting and is the founder of the English Symphony Orchestra; he has been on board with the NHSO since 2007 and conducted the show titled “Tchaikovsky Triumphant.”

The highlight of the evening came from witnessing Hoopes masterfully play his violin. Hoopes has traveled around the world performing for several orchestras and is a frequent performer for the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, Switzerland.

Hoopes shared his talents with the people of New Haven by playing the solo violin part in Violin Concerto in e minor just before intermission. People were in awe watching this young adult effortlessly shred on the violin, at the mere age of 19. The second half of the evening consisted of Tchaikovsky’s massive Symphony No. 5 in e minor.

NHSO has promised to continue the season strong with surprise guests appearing at every concert. NHSO will be featured again at Woolsey Hall in downtown New Haven on Thursday, Nov. 7, playing the heart- wrenching Adgaio for Strings as part of their “Lyricism and Longing” concert.

The concerts are free for all UNH students, so anyone who has a taste for music should go out and give NHSO a listen.