The Western Piedmont Symphony will perform at the P.E. Monroe Auditorium at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory Saturday, opening its Masterworks series with a show entitled, “Other Worlds.” The show will kick off the Orchestra’s 59th season.

Despite the typically traditional nature of Masterwork shows, this season’s “Other Worlds” show will feature the world’s premier player of the ancient Chinese pipa, Wu Man. 

“I like to do programming that is unexpected, that has an unexpected element to it,” said Matthew Troy, the artistic leader and maestro of the show. “I like to open the season with a big bang. It is kind of a celebration to open the season every year, so I try to pick music that I think is inspiring and compelling.”

The pipa is a four-stringed, guitar-like Chinese lute, and is extremely expressive. 

“It’s not something that you typically see with a symphony orchestra, if at all,” Troy said about the instrument. “And Wu Man has single-handedly brought this instrument into the symphonic world.”

Wu Man has had a multitude of works composed for her and has performed alongside orchestras around the world. She will be featured in “Concerto for Pipa and Orchestra” by Zhao Jiping, who is known for composing Chinese film scores.

“It has a very movie-like sound and cinematic quality to it,” Troy said. “It has a certain element of the exotic, but also something familiar.”

“Other Worlds” will conclude with “The Pines of Rome” by Ottorino Respighi, a colorful and descriptive piece of the Romanian trees. It will also include an off-stage section included in the finale, intended as another element of surprise for the audience. App State students from the Hayes School of Music will be featured in the off-stage brass section.

 “For many of them, this is their first opportunity to perform with a professional orchestra,” said Joseph Brown, assistant professor of trombone for the university, who will be performing alongside students in the piece. “As a teacher, it is a true pleasure to see students fulfill those goals and experience their excitement about the opportunity. I know what they are going to be able to experience at this weekend’s performance, and I’m very excited for each of them.”

Student tickets are available for the show for $10 with a valid student ID, and range from $20-$50 for non-students.

“It’s called ‘Other Worlds’ because it does truly transport you when you hear these different sounds of the music on this concert,” Troy said. “I think it really does move you to a different place.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article listed the incorrect location of the symphony. This has been fixed in the article.