The Asheville Symphony Orchestra will open its 53rd season on September 21 – a night that will mark not only the return of the ASO to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium stage, but also the homecoming of a special soloist whose career has taken off since his last engagement with the orchestra.

Asheville native Noah Bendix-Balgley, a violinist who played with the ASO in 2009, will open this season with a performance of Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy. Bendix-Balgley returns to Asheville two years after he was appointed concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra – one of the most prestigious posts of its kind in the world.

It takes a special kind of musician to assume a concertmaster position, according to ASO Music Director Daniel Meyer, and Bendix-Balgley has the talent to persevere in the post.

“Essentially, an orchestra like the Pittsburgh Symphony is looking for a violinist of international renown, with the technical capabilities of a concert soloist, the musicianship of a first violin of a major string quartet, and the leadership qualities of a great team captain,” Meyer says. “For Noah to have reached such an important position and to have been respected and universally loved by the orchestra’s musicians is no small achievement.”

Meyer is anticipating Bendix-Balgley’s return to create a special atmosphere in Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, especially because the young violinist is so well-suited to perform the Bruch Scottish Fantasy, which he will also perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony in October.

“I love Noah’s depth and sweetness of tone,” Meyer says. “I think those qualities, coupled with his staggering technical virtuosity and innate ability to communicate the essence of the music, makes him a perfect choice for the Bruch. It’s a piece that demands a completely musical approach, from the folk-inspired melodies and rhythms to its sheer breadth of expression.”

Other pieces on the opening-night program include two Wagner compositions, the Tannhauser Overture and Venusberg Music from Tannhauser, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Wagner’s birth. Many opera companies and orchestras around the world are marking the anniversary of the composer, who is a seminal figure in music history.

“For me, it’s important to include this music to remind ourselves that Wagner is the link between Beethoven and the modern musical world,” says Meyer. “Wagner’s approach to music and drama was revolutionary in that it expanded the color palate for the orchestra and emboldened composers to reach beyond traditional forms to reveal an emotional content in music that entranced a staggering number of artists. The fact that we begin with Wagner this season and travel through Bruckner and end with Shostakovich is no accident. Once Wagner opened the floodgates, an overwhelming amount of epic music poured forth.”

The ASO also joined orchestras around the world last year to mark the 100th anniversary of the premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. For the ASO, it was the centerpiece of last year’s season finale. This year, the season opener will include a performance of Stravinsky’s Firebird as Meyer continues his programming of Stravinsky’s great ballet works.

“They in many ways represent such an important turn in Stravinsky’s creative life and, as it turns out, all of the concert music of the twentieth century,” Meyer says. “I really think of these works as a springboard for me, the orchestra, and our audience for further discovery. So I am really pleased to complete this cycle, and I suppose it’s simply serendipitous that our Firebird comes on the heels of our season- ending performance of Rite of Spring.”

If You Go: Tickets to Asheville Symphony’s Opening Night: Fantasy and Firebird at 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 21 at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium can be purchased by calling the symphony office at (828) 254-7046, online at www.ashevillesymphony.org, or by visiting the U.S. Cellular Center box office at 87 Haywood Street, Asheville. Tickets start at $20 for adults and $10 for youth.