This preview has been provided by The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle.

The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, a performance-based organization in Durham County, is hosting its 14th annual fundraising gala on September 18, 2011. Proceeds from the event will benefit the orchestra and help underwrite its 2011-2012 season concerts.

The gala will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Whitehall at the Villa, 1213 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, N.C. Ticket and additional information may be found by calling 919.360.3382.

“We are thrilled to once again host our spectacular gala,” says David Lindquist, board chairman for The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle. “Each year friends of the orchestra gather for a delightful evening, and enjoy the light-hearted competition bidding on auction items.”

Titled “A Little Night Music XIV,” the event will feature an evening filled with chamber music, food, wine and a silent auction. Members of the orchestra will perform two delightful programs for guests. These include:

— Franz Schubert’s “String Trio in B flat Major, D. 471”
— Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenire de Florence first movement Opus 70 Allegro con spirito”
— Ludwig van Beethoven’s “String Trio in E flat Major op. 3”

Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans is serving as honorary chair for “A Little Night Music XIV.” She has served the Triangle community in a myriad of ways and is a longtime supporter of The COT and the performing arts scene.

“I am so pleased to support the Chamber Orchestra as it has been dear to my heart for nearly 30 years — a true treasure for our state,” says Semans. “My late husband and I were instrumental in bringing Maestro Muti to North Carolina and to the orchestra — their joint success is a matter of great happiness to me.”

For a 23rd year, Lorenzo Muti will lead The COT as artistic director and conductor. He has been instrumental in developing the orchestra’s elite corps of musicians into one of the top professional ensembles in North Carolina and the Southeast.

The 2011-2012 season will feature five concerts:

— October 16, 2011 – “The Classical Style”
— November 13, 2011 – “Basically Bach”
— January 15, 2012 – “Masters of Orchestration”
— March 18, 2012 – “The Titan and Sacred Music”
— May 20, 2012 – “A Journey Through Spain”

About the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle:

Since 1982, The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle has been received with genuine respect and enthusiasm by music critics and the community. Today, it is considered one of the finest professional ensembles in North Carolina and the Southeast. With its elite corps of musicians, the orchestra continues to present a well-chosen and unusual repertoire that delights audiences and evokes high praise from critics. That standard of excellence has become the hallmark of the orchestra and has distinguished each succeeding season. The 2011-2012 series marks its 29th concert season. For more information, visit www.thecot.org