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Guest conductor announced for Alexandria’s birthday celebration

By James Cullum
Guest conductor John Devlin will lead the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra at the city’s annual birthday celebration on Saturday, July 12, 2025 (via ASO/Facebook)

The guest conductor of Alexandria’s upcoming birthday celebration on the waterfront has been announced.

John Devlin, music director of the Lancaster Festival Orchestra in Ohio, will take the baton and lead the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra through its program on Saturday night, July 12. The concert includes Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture during the dazzling fireworks, as well as live cannons from the U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery.

Devlin has guest conducted in Alexandria before, his mentor is ASO Musical Director James Ross.

The show starts at 8:30 p.m., and includes guest vocalist Mandy Brown, who will sing film, Broadway, and patriotic favorites.

Photo via Facebook

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.