The Moore County Chapter of the North Carolina Symphony began its planning for the 2010-11 season when the board met on Aug. 24.

The meeting was conducted by Chapter Board President Kenn Florell, of Southern Pines.

Two new members were welcomed to the board: Judy Casey, of Pinehurst, and Lou Gentry, of Whispering Pines. The officers for this year are: Kenn Florell, president; Marijanet Doonan, vice president; Lydia Gill, secretary; and Joe Stevenson, treasurer.

Rob Maddrey, the symphony's director of statewide development, led the board orientation about the North Carolina Symphony. As the 31st largest orchestra in the nation, the orchestra travels nearly 14,000 miles and performs for more than 250,000 people annually.

In Moore County the orchestra performs two educational concerts for 2,600 elementary students annually, a seven-concert classical series at the Pinecrest High School Auditorium and a Holiday Pops concert at the Pinehurst Resort's Carolina Hotel.

The 2010-11 Southern Pines series opens Thursday, Sept. 23, at 8 p.m. in the Robert E. Lee Auditorium at Pinecrest High School. Music Director Grant Llewellyn will conduct a program featuring Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony and Beethoven's "Triple Concerto for Piano, Violin, and Cello" with Navah Perlman on piano, Giora Schmidt on violin and Zuill Bailey on cello.

New for this season, Moore County audiences can choose their own combination of concerts and still save money over single ticket prices. It is called "MyMix," and patrons may purchase ticket packages in groups or six or eight.This option offers tremendous flexibility for when and how to use them.

The remaining six concerts on the North Carolina Symphony's Southern Pines series include:

n Oct. 21: William Henry Curry conducts an all-Tchaikovsky program including the "Rococo Variations for Cello and Orchestra" with cellist Bonnie Thron

n Jan. 6: William Henry Curry conducts Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, "Eroica"

n Feb. 10: Grant Llewellyn conducts works by Shostakovich as well as Liszt "Piano Concerto No. 2" with Peter Donohoe

n Feb. 24: Guest conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto leads the orchestra with music by Ginastera, Copland and Rachmaninoff

n April 14: Sarah Hicks conducts works by Ravel, Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, and Dohnanyi with guest pianist Stewart Goodyear

n May 19: William Henry Curry conducts music by Beethoven, Schumann and Mozart, featuring symphony musicians Anita Burroughs-Price, harp, and Mary Boone, flute

For season tickets and MyMix purchase information, contact the North Carolina Symphony box office at (877) 627-6724 or visit www.ncsymphony.org.