Bay-Atlantic Symphony Chamber Orchestra in William Grant Still's 'Panamanian Dances' 7 PM, Oct. 16

[William Grant Still: La Guiablesse; Danzas de Panama; Quit Dat Fool'nish; Summerland; Berlin Symphoniker; Alexa Still, flute; Isaiah Jackson, conductor; Koch International Classics 3 7154 2H1 (1993)]

“Sunday, October 16, 7 p.m.

Bay Atlantic Symphony Chamber Orchestra

Conducted by Jed Gaylin

Celebrating the City

Featuring Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, with renowned violin soloist Jorge Avila; Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music), and African-American composer William Grant Still's Panamanian Dances.”

Isaiah Jackson is now Associate Professor (Part-Time Faculty) at Berklee College of Music. An excerpt from his faculty Biography is presented below. William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a comprehensive Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com. Here is an excerpt from the website:

“The African American Conductor Isaiah Jackson and the Berliner Symphoniker [Berlin Symphony Orchestra] have recorded two of Still's major dance works on Koch 3 7154 2H1 (1993). The first is La Guiablesse (18:35), consisting of nine brief dances. The second major composition is Danzas de Panama [Dances of Panama] (14:00). The four dances are titled: Tamborito, Mejorana, Punto and Cumbia. Dana Paul Perna writes in the liner notes:

“Still took these dance themes and cast them for string quartet, quintet or, as heard on this recording, for string orchestra. He made every effort to approximate the sounds of native instruments thereby giving this piece an arresting character.”

"Berklee College of Music

Isaiah Jackson, Associate Professor (Part-Time Faculty Member)

Department: Composition

B.A., Harvard University

M.A., Stanford University

M.S., D.M.A., the Juilliard School

Studies at Fontainebleau, Aspen, and Tanglewood

President of Rhythm, Rhyme, Results, an educational rap music company

CEO and creative director of Belvedere Productions, a music production company specializing in educational materials

"Conductor emeritus of the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston

Musician in residence at the Memorial Church, Harvard University

Guest conductor with the New York Philharmonic; the Cleveland Orchestra; the Los Angeles Philharmonic; the National Symphony (Washington, D.C.); the symphonies of San Francisco, Toronto, Houston, and Dallas; and the Boston Pops

"Conducted on six continents, with titled positions on four, including music directorships in Boston and London

"First American to hold a major post at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where he was appointed principal conductor and, later, music director of the Royal Ballet; conducted before members of Britain's royal family on several occasions, including the 90th birthday gala for Royal Ballet founder Dame Ninette de Valois"