An Afternoon of Musical Magic: SODELO Presents "Fantasies and Fairy Tales"

Get lost in a world of wonder with SODELO's latest concert, "Fantasies and Fairy Tales," on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 3:00 PM. Held at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE, this performance promises a spellbinding journey through some of the most famous and beloved classical works ever written.

Music Director James Allen Anderson will lead the orchestra through a program that brings cinematic and legendary stories to life. The concert features selections famously used in Disney's Fantasia, including Mussorgsky's chilling "Night on Bald Mountain," Dukas's playful "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and Bach's timeless "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor."

The performance also includes Grieg's dramatic "Peer Gynt Suite No. 1," with the iconic "In the Hall of the Mountain King," Berlioz's intense "March to the Scaffold," and Eric Whitacre's evocative piece, "October."

This is an ideal event for families, music lovers, and anyone looking for a unique and enchanting way to spend an October afternoon. Don't miss this unforgettable musical experience in the heart of Lewes!

THE SODELO STORY

In February 2022, Steve Greifer, a violinist and retired marketing executive, reached out on local social media to see if he could find some musicians to play chamber music with him when he moved to Milton. He hoped to play some duets or, better yet, play in a string quartet.

Eva DelGallo, a Lewes violinist and retired school orchestra director, responded to Steve’s first postings with a much bigger vision than a quartet. Seeing the enthusiastic response from the string-playing community, Eva saw the opportunity to bring her long time dream of an orchestra in Southern Delaware to life, and jumped in with both feet.

Our third co-founder is our music director, James Allen Anderson, head of Orchestral Studies at University of Delaware and Music Director of the Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey. We reached out to Jim in our search for a musical leader, hoping he would refer some of his conducting students. Instead, Jim volunteered to lead us! And we have recently extended Jim's contract to 2027!

So on May 3, 2022, an unnamed orchestra of 30 string musicians held its first rehearsal, and on July 16, a newly named/formed/incorporated/501(c)(3) Southern Delaware Orchestra played its inaugural concert at Bethel United Methodist Church in Lewes to a standing ovation from a capacity audience!

Following our 2023 Spring Concert, we launched a market-wide search for the best area musicians for Winds, Brass and Percussion musicians to reach our Mission to evolve from a String ensemble to a full Symphony Orchestra. Our summer concerts marked our first performances with our new musicians!

Today, we have over 70 musicians, and many friends in the Southern Delaware community who support our efforts. We practice every Monday night and have a full roster of upcoming concerts ahead of us. We are a welcoming community orchestra with members ranging from retirees to active professional musicians to talented teens! We play to enthusiastic sold out houses from The Grand Opera House in Wilmington to the Rehoboth Convention Center to our home at Cape Henlopen High School. Our performance this summer on the Freeman Arts Pavilion in Selbyville was yet another high note for our orchestra and audiences!

We are all about creating a wonderful musical experience for both our members and our community, and we plan to be a long term member of the cultural scene in Southern Delaware!! We hope to see you soon.

Please visit our Website at sodelomusic.org to learn more about SODELO and how you can be a part of our story, from playing with us, to volunteering, to financial support.

SODELO PRESENTS: FANTASIES AND FAIRY TALES

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2025, CAPE HENLOPEN HIGH SCHOOL, LEWES, DE