Part of the Summer Serenade program, the sounds of the New Iberia performance flowed over the audience as the 14-member orchestra was led by conductor Mariusz Smolij. The free concert was played to show the Acadiana region just what an invaluable musical resource the public has in the symphony and to encourage support and attendance for the upcoming 25th anniversary season beginning in Septem-ber, according to event sponsors.
Smolij has been conductor for the Acadiana Symphony for six years and divides his time there with his 13th season as conductor for the River-side Symphonia in New Jersey.
 Many people filled the pews at St. Peter's Catholic Church Sunday to hear the Acadiana Symphony Chamber Orchestra. INESS ASHER / THE DAILY IBERIAN Advertisement
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“We just performed in Abbeville recently,” Smolij said. “Our home is the Heymann Performing Arts Center, but we also play at Angelle Hall on the Lafayette (University) campus.”
Special soloist of the performance was André Cour-ville, 23-year old bass baritone and a former resident of Cecilia.
“I’m originally from Cecilia, and graduated from Cecilia High School,” Courville said. “I've been so many different places since then.”
Courville has performed in New York and Philadelphia, as well as having been musical director for the latter’s First Baptist Church, returning to Louisiana last year to become the musical director of the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Lafayette.
Courville sang Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata No. 82: Ich Habe Genug (I Have Enough) at Sunday’s concert.
Event sponsors included Allain’s Jewelry, Associat-ed Engineers and Archi-tects and Iberia Building Systems, Gulotta’s, Iberia Office Supply, New Iberia Mayor Hilda Curry, The Rosary House and Todd’s Car Wash.
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