Saturday, October 25, 2008

Warren Symphony Orchestra Plays William Grant Still's 'Darker America' Nov. 2

[Africa: Piano Music of William Grant Still; Denver Oldham, piano; Koch 3 7084 2H1 (1991)]

SourceNewspapers.com:
Published: Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Warren Symphony Orchestra will present “America, The Melting Pot,” a dynamic, multimedia concert depicting the moving story of America’s immigrants, on Nov. 2 at Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. The concert will feature Peter Boyer’s “Ellis Island,” with professional actors and large projected images of immigrants from all over the world who arrived at Ellis Island. “Ellis Island” mesmerized the audience when performed by the Warren Symphony three years ago and has returned as part of an exhibit entitled “A Journey of Hope: Michigan’s Immigrant Experience,” which is on display at the Lorenzo Cultural Center, adjacent to Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. Professional actors who will dramatize “Ellis Island” include Shirley Benyas of West Bloomfield, David Bokas of Southfield, Henrietta Hermelin of Southfield, Sam Pollak of Oak Park, Rochelle Rosenthal of Birmingham, Karen Sheridan of Oak Park and Travis Walter of Sterling Heights. 

The concert’s three additional works express the experiences of immigrants to America who arrived through locations other than Ellis Island. “My Homeland,” by Anton Dvorak, who lived in the United States for a period during the 1890s, reflects his native land, Bohemia. “Darker America,” written by William Grant Still, depicts the experiences of Africans who came to the U.S. as slaves. “Sinfonia India,” by Carlos Chavez, expresses Mexican and Native American musical themes in a lively composition often conducted by Leonard Bernstein. “America, The Melting Pot” will be performed at 3 p.m. on Nov. 2 at Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township. Tickets are available by phone at 754-2950 or at the door prior to the concert. Ticket prices are $23 for adults, $20 for seniors, $10 for college students and free for younger students. Group discounts are available in advance; information is online at http://www.warrensymphony.org [William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com] 
at

No comments:

Post a Comment