Program: William Grant Still: Mother and Child; Jessie Montgomery: These Righteous Paths (Co-Commission, US Premiere) Abel Selaocoe, cello; Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2. Performers: Jonathon Heyward, conductor; Abel Selaocoe, cello. Immerse yourself in the expressive power of music in this moving program expressing the enduring power of a mother's love, across time. William Grant Still’s Mother and Child opens the evening with a tender portrait of love and quiet devotion. The program continues with the U.S. premiere of Jessie Montgomery’s These Righteous Paths , an exploration of the composer’s journey through grief following the loss of her mother five years ago. The co-commission is performed by celebrated cellist Abel Selaocoe. Anchoring the program is Johannes Brahms’s radiant Symphony No. 2, whose warm lyricism—including the beloved melody later known as “Brahms’s Lullaby”—brings the evening to a deeply satisfying close.
Program: Frederick Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring; Billy Childs: A More Perfect Union (Co-Commission, New York Premiere) Demarre McGill, flute (Avery Fisher Career Grant 2003) Anthony McGill, clarinet (Avery Fisher Prize 2020; Avery Fisher Career Grant 2000); Hannah Ishizaki: Change Thy Course (Commission, World Premiere); Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 1, “Spring”. Performers: Jonathon Heyward, conductor; Demarre McGill, flute; Anthony McGill, clarinet. The Festival Orchestra’s season comes to an exhilarating conclusion in this vibrant program celebrating new voices and timeless inspirations. The evening begins with Delius’ ode to spring as a prelude to the New York premiere of a new work by Billy Childs, a Lincoln Center co-commission with the featured soloists for The Avery Fisher Legacy Concert—flutist Demarre McGill (Principal flute at the Seattle Symphony) and clarinetist Anthony McGill (Principal clarinet at the New York Philharmonic). Childs brings the flute and clarinet into lively conversation, showcasing the extraordinary artistry and musical chemistry of the McGill brothers. Following intermission, revel in the world premiere commission of composer Hannah Ishizaki’s latest work, inspired by Schumann’s First Symphony. Heyward’s multi-year exploration of the Schumann symphonies comes to a conclusion with the full performance of Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, the “Spring,” a radiant work inspired by the promise of renewal and new beginnings.
Program: Frederick Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring; Billy Childs: A More Perfect Union (Co-Commission, New York Premiere) Demarre McGill, flute (Avery Fisher Career Grant 2003) Anthony McGill, clarinet (Avery Fisher Prize 2020; Avery Fisher Career Grant 2000); Hannah Ishizaki: Change Thy Course (Commission, World Premiere); Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 1, “Spring”. Performers: Jonathon Heyward, conductor; Demarre McGill, flute; Anthony McGill, clarinet. The Festival Orchestra’s season comes to an exhilarating conclusion in this vibrant program celebrating new voices and timeless inspirations. The evening begins with Delius’ ode to spring as a prelude to the New York premiere of a new work by Billy Childs, a Lincoln Center co-commission with the featured soloists for The Avery Fisher Legacy Concert—flutist Demarre McGill (Principal flute at the Seattle Symphony) and clarinetist Anthony McGill (Principal clarinet at the New York Philharmonic). Childs brings the flute and clarinet into lively conversation, showcasing the extraordinary artistry and musical chemistry of the McGill brothers. Following intermission, revel in the world premiere commission of composer Hannah Ishizaki’s latest work, inspired by Schumann’s First Symphony. Heyward’s multi-year exploration of the Schumann symphonies comes to a conclusion with the full performance of Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, the “Spring,” a radiant work inspired by the promise of renewal and new beginnings.
