This July Fourth, celebrate your independence with an amazing fireworks show kicked off by The Carroll Symphony Orchestra’s 2016 Sounds of Liberty Concert which begins at 8:30 p.m. on the Fourth of July at the Carrollton City Schools’ campuses. Hosts onstage for the evening will be George Washington and John Adams, represented by costumed actors bringing to life words penned by these forefathers.
Event planners want to assure everyone that the grounds of Carrollton Elementary offer ample room for all the lawn chairs and beach blankets of the thousands who gather at the free event. Long-time attendees say that the grounds in front of the stage offer the very best view of the fireworks as well as the thrill of experiencing the music “up close.”
As evening falls, spotlights switch on, the professional musicians mount the stage, Conductor Terry Lowry takes the podium, local radio stations go live, and the stirring “Fanfare for the Common Man” begins the show. The “Call to the Colors” signals the American Legion Honor Guard to raise the colors, and “The Star-Spangled Banner” sounds across the crowd. The concert is described as an “All-American program” because the entire evening’s music is by American composers, including John Williams, Aaron Copland, and John Philip Sousa. In addition to performing works of several American masters, the symphony will the premiere works by six, very youthful Georgians, the winners of the 2015 CSO Young Composers Competition: Albert Shin (tenth grade), Michael Solomon and Justin Shin (both seventh grade), Yujean Shin (fifth grade), Annika Joshi and Zack Lester (both fourth grade).
Led by soloist Larry Frazier, the crowd will have the opportunity to recognize both wartime and peacetime veterans of each of our country’s military branches and to pay tribute to Carroll County’s brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.With favorite patriotic melodies including “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever ” the program will culminate with a brilliant fireworks display.
Mayor Walt Hollingsworth welcomes everyone to the celebration, “As mayor, and on behalf of the City Council, I want to say that we think the Sounds of Liberty is a great thing for the city. Thousands of people come to attend the concert and fireworks show. Terry Lowry and all the other professionals needed to put on such an event do a first-class job. We’re excited about it and know we’ll have another great concert.”
Commission Chairman Mary Smith commented, “Other than it’s being an awesome annual event that everyone has grown to love and look forward to attending each year, many people stay in town for the fourth and have family and friends come to our area. We’re glad that the county has been able to be a partner. The event has a great economic impact on our community.”
2016 will be the thirteenth year for the CSO to perform at The Sounds of Liberty. The Symphony’s first Sounds of Liberty concert was also the first year that awards were presented for the winning floats in the morning’s People’s Parade, a project organized and managed by the Evening Sertoma Club. The tradition continues as this year’s Community Spirit Cup will be presented by Carrollton Evening Sertoman Rebecca L. Smith, coordinator of The People’s Parade.
Sponsors of this year’s concert include the City of Carrollton, Carroll County, Southwire, Tanner Health System, Carroll County Sheriff Terry Langley, Systems and Methods Inc, Almon Funeral Home, Milestone Investment Management, West Georgia Ambulance Service and Steve Adams, United Community Bank, Southern States Bank, Wells Fargo, SyncGlobal Telecom, Cole Family Foundation, West Georgia Technical College, Scott Evans Dodge, Scott Evans Nissan, Gradick Communications, and the CSO Guild.
The launch site for the fireworks show, presented by the Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, is across Ben Scott Boulevard from the concert stage and will be located between the practice football field and the baseball field by Carrollton Junior High.
For those who cannot attend the concert in person, Gradick Communications’ radio stations Kiss 102.7 and B92 Country will broadcast the concert.
Traffic exiting the evening’s event will flow steadily under the guidance of Carrollton Police officers who will be stationed at the intersections of Trojan Drive and South Park Street, Trojan Drive and Ben Scott Boulevard, Ben Scott and Hwy. 166 Bypass, and Hays Mill Road and the 166 Bypass.
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