William Henry Curry Conducts North Carolina Symphony in 'Blues in the Night' May 6-7

[William Henry Curry]

NCSymphony.org

“Special Guests Join North Carolina Symphony for a Little 'Blues in the Night,' May 6-7

Posted: April 14, 2011

Bluesmen Corey Harris and Phil Wiggins, sopranos Tina Morris-Anderson and Rozlyn Sorrell and other special guests take center stage with the North Carolina Symphony next month for a fast-paced journey through the history of American blues and jazz. Led by Resident Conductor William Henry Curry, 'Blues in the Night' takes place at Meymandi Concert Hall, in downtown Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, on Friday and Saturday, May 6-7, at 8:00 p.m.”

“Together they will bridge the gap in an evening of diverse, homegrown sounds. Concertgoers will travel the exciting history of a distinctly American art form, from classic tunes by pioneering American composers George Gershwin, W.C. Handy, Scott Joplin and Morton Gould to gospel numbers including 'Precious Lord, Take My Hand'—songs that were inspirations not only for their content but for their musical vitality—to the work of blues and jazz legends like Duke Ellington.

“'One of the great gifts that America has given the world has been its music,' says Curry about this unique concert lineup. 'The mix of European art music and American folk music infused symphonic works with ragtime, jazz and the blues, so-called third stream music. The popularity of this genre makes it, to me, the American orchestral music most likely to endure the test of time, by reflecting the diversity of the American experience.' Curry will be aided in this musical tour-de-force by the stellar talents of several of the North Carolina Symphony’s favorite collaborators, including sopranos Tina Morris-Anderson and Rozlyn Sorrell and North Carolina Central University Director of Jazz Studies Ira Wiggins, on saxophone.” [Scott Joplin and Duke Ellington are profiled at AfriClassical.com]

Albuquerque Youth Symphony in William Henry Curry's 'Eulogy for a Dream' Jan. 16

[William Henry Curry]

William Henry Curry is Music Director and Conductor of the Durham Symphony in North Carolina. His composition Eulogy for a Dream is based on speeches and writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It has been performed several times, and has been broadcast on National Public Radio. As we noted recently, Maestro Curry will conduct a performance of the work by the Durham Symphony at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15. We have since learned the Albuquerque Youth Symphony will include the composition in its concert of January 16 at 3:00 p.m.

Celebrate Martin Luther King Day at Once-in-a-Lifetime Concert

The Albuquerque Youth Symphony ushers in Martin Luther King Day with three concert firsts:

Solo by concerto competition winner Laura Steiner

The state premiere of Eulogy for a Dream

The world premiere of The Red Woods

Sunday, January 16 at 3:00 pm at Popejoy Hall

Tickets are $10.

Eulogy for a Dream, written by African American composer and conductor William Henry Curry, features narrated selections from Dr. Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" and "I've been to the mountaintop" speeches.

Jonathan Wentworth Associates

“In recent seasons, Mr. Curry has spent time with many orchestras, including the Houston, Altanta and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras, the Nassau Symphony Orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony, the Sai Jai Thai Orchestra of Bangkok (Thailand), the National Symphony Orchestra of Taipei (Taiwan), and the Chautauqua Symphony.” “Maestro Curry's recent visit to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra included not only four subscription concerts, but rehearsals with that orchestra's well-known Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra combined with the Atlanta Public Schools Orchestra.”

William Henry Curry Conducts Durham Symphony Jan. 15 in his 'Eulogy for a Dream'

[William Henry Curry]

William Henry Curry is Music Director and Conductor of Durham Symphony. Maestro Curry's composition Eulogy for a Dream is based on speeches and writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It has been performed several times, and has been broadcast on National Public Radio.

"DurhamSymphony.org

Martin Luther King Concert – Durham Armory

Saturday, January 15, 2011

7:00 pm – All Ages

The Durham Symphony in collaboration with the Concert Singers of Cary proudly present 'A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.'

"Program:

Beethoven 'Symphony no. 9' (Ode to Joy — finale)

William Henry Curry’s 'Eulogy for a Dream'"

Jonathan Wentworth Associates

"Maestro Curry has conducted over forty orchestras, including appearances with the Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, National, Detroit, Denver, American, and San Diego symphonies, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He made his debut in Israel with the Israel Camerata Jerusalem orchestra, and has conducted orchestras in Bangkok and Taiwan. Guest appearances include the Indianapolis, Detroit, and New Jersey orchestras. The Maestro made his debut as a conductor of ballet in December 2002 with the New York City Ballet in their famed Balanchine production of The Nutcracker. The 1988 winner of the Leopold Stokowski Conducting Competition of the American Symphony Orchestra, William Henry Curry, was born in Pittsburgh in 1954 and started conducting at the age of 14.

"From 1983 until 1985 Mr. Curry was resident conductor of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and held the post of resident conductor of the Baltimore Symphony from 1978 until 1983. He previously served as music director and conductor for the Peabody Conservatory, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and was assistant conductor of the Richmond Chamber Orchestra. The same day he was named assistant conductor (at age 21) of the Richmond Symphony, he was called upon to replace the conductor who had suddenly become ill, for the performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony that evening. His unexpected debut was hailed by critics and audience alike."