The contributions of African American composers to the world of symphonic music will be the focus of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s third annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration concert, being held on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Showtime for the concert at Springfield Symphony Hall, billed as “New Musical World,” is 3 p.m.
“Saturday’s concert continues our tradition of offering a concert on Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend featuring works of African American composers, whose music is stunning and beautiful, but not always represented as much in the repertoire of orchestras, but should be,” said Paul Lambert, president and CEO of the orchestra.
“Saturday’s concert also continues our ‘Tapestry of Music’ theme for the season featuring various traditions of music coming together to create a beautiful experience for our audiences,” he added.
Antonín Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 9″ will be at the heart of the performance, subtitled “From the New World,” which will be accompanied by visuals on the big screen, a concert element that has become popular with the orchestra’s audience. The concert will feature both historic and living composers who explore and express their visions of America and use of African American musical styles and melodies.
The afternoon performance will also feature the music of composers William Grant Still with “Festive Overture for Orchestra,” modern-day composer James Lee III with “Amer’ican,” a piece that has been described as haunting and powerful’; and Florence Price with “Violin Concerto No. 2.”
The concert will be led by renowned guest conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson, who in 2005 made history as the first Black woman to win an international conducting prize and has continued to break barriers in Europe and the United States as the first woman or first African American woman on the podium for many orchestras and opera companies.
Johnson applauded the orchestra’s MLK weekend concerts as “an important step in building a relationship with the African American community in Springfield.”
“I also think it’s important to include these composers across the season and in various programs to show the wider relationship between great composers from different backgrounds and the shared interests, issues and passions that transcend racial or cultural differences,” she said.
In regard to the “Tapestry of Music” theme, Johnson noted “it creates a wide patchwork of interconnected relationships between composers across the centuries in between countries and cultures.”
“Saturday’s program is a perfect example of that. It unites composers from Europe in the 19th century and American composers from the 20th and 21st centuries. And the works are placed in dialogue with another, creating a larger conversation about the idea of ‘America’ and what it means to be American,” she said.
Melissa White will be the featured violin soloist, who has captured the attention of orchestras and audiences worldwide, many of whom already know her for her successes as a founding member of the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet.
“Melissa is a friend and an excellent violinist and it’s always fun to perform with your friends. Melissa will be performing the Florence Price second violin Concerto. And I believe she brings a depth of expression borne out a long relationship with this piece and an understanding of some of the lived experience of the composer that will definitely inform her interpretation,” Johnson said.
Johnson said that Saturday’s concert is “not to be missed.”
“Obviously, the music is a great draw and will have something new for classical music lovers and newcomers alike. I think an extra treat will be having the visuals that will accompany the Dvorak ‘Symphony No. 9′ to create an even more visceral and impactful experience,” she said.
A “Classical Conversation” with Johnson and White will take place at 2 p.m. prior to the concert for all ticket holders, and there will be a meet and greet following the performance in the Mahogany Room.
Tickets are on sale, starting at $25, at springfieldsymphony.org or by calling the SSO box office at 413-733-2291.
