Seventy-five years of classical concerts from the beloved Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, and counting!

That's a lot of musical notes.

As one would expect from one of the finest outfits in New England, the ECSO is excited to kick off their 2021-22 and diamond season this Saturday in front of a living, breathing audience in the Garde Arts Center.

Under the creative and adept leadership of music director/conductor Toshiyuki "Toshi" Shimada, the orchestra will nuance an intriguing program headlined by a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 — last undertaken in 2009 for Shimada's first-ever concert with the ESCO.

Also on the program will be the world premiere of a revised version of Nazaykinskaya's Fenix, and Haydn's Trumpet Concerto featuring ECSO principal trumpeter Tom Brown, last seen and spoken to by this journalist while the musician was trying to eat breakfast with his family at When Pig's Fly in Jordan Village.

For this event, masks will be required inside the venue, as well as proof of full vaccination. Unvaccinated patrons must provide documented proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the start of the event, or a negative antigen test taken within 48 hours of the start of the event.

Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London; $12-$65; ectsymphony.com; (860) 443-2876.