After eight years of musical leadership here, Stephen Alltop will conduct his last Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra concert on May 3.

Alltop joined the symphony as music director in March of 2000, but he conducted it for the first time in November of 1999.

As Alltop bids farewell to the Cheyenne community, he will pass the baton on to new maestro William Intriligator.

"The challenge will be for him to make the orchestra more of his own and to continue to build on the growth that (it) has had," Alltop said about his successor.

He added that he is excited to present the season finale that will feature works by Rachmaninoff, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. The concert is a program of compelling classical masterpieces, and they were chosen for special reasons.

"The Beethoven piece is a very virtuosic piece for orchestra; it's dramatic and challenging," he said. "I wanted something that made us all work hard."

This Rachmaninoff "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," is one of the most popular piano pieces with lush romantic sounds, Alltop said.

Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4 in F minor" was performed by the Cheyenne group in 2001, but Alltop had another engagement and didn't conduct that concert.

"I wanted chance to do that with the Cheyenne Symphony. It's Tchaikovsky at his most characteristic. The melodies are sumptuous."

Looking back on his eight years, Alltop said: "I feel extremely good about the music that we've made and the growth that we've had as an organization. We've had quite a remarkable period as a symphony."

He helped form musical relationships across the region.

"We collaborated with almost all of the major universities in Wyoming and northern Colorado and primarily with Laramie County Community College," Alltop said, adding that the relationship with LCCC really has blossomed.

The orchestra also worked with local groups like the All-City Children's Chorus, the Cheyenne Chamber Singers.

"I was blessed that I was here during the five-year 'Messiah' project," Alltop said. "That piece is extremely close to my heart. It definitely was a match made in heaven, if you will."

He said he would have liked to have presented more works written especially for the symphony.

"We weren't able to do much along those lines, but I remain extremely proud of the visit of John Corigliano," Alltop said. "That was a special thing and one of the orchestra's greatest accomplishments.

"I did present a number of pieces for the first time in Cheyenne, such as the Mahler 'Symphony No. 5.' We did quite a few contemporary works - 'Javelin' by Michael Torke and John Stevens and 'Tuba Concerto' that featured Gene Pokorny."

Pokorny is the Chicago Symphony's principal tubaist. He performed on the Cheyenne Symphony's "Railroad Romance" program.

"That was another special memory for me because I collaborated with a number of organizations: Union Pacific, the Cheyenne Depot and Jim Ehrenberger, the (local) railroad photographer and historian," Alltop said.

He said he also enjoyed a recent pops effort on April 5.

"I had a good time doing the Eagles concert (with Jeans 'n Classics). I've done pops concerts before, but I've never done a program of music with Eagles (music). I enjoy the way that music reached people."

Alltop said he is proud to have been the music director here.

"I will miss working with the musicians because we've made so much wonderful music together," he said. "I have learned a lot from people in that orchestra and will miss them very much."

Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra season finalé

When: May, 3, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Cheyenne Civic Center, 510 W. 20th St.

Program: Beethoven's "Leonore Overture No. 3;" Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" featuring pianist David Korevaar; and Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4 in F minor."

Tickets: Adults, $35.50, $25, $18.50 and $11.50; Students, $10; Military $32, $23, $17 and $10.