July 6, 2026

It was definitely a star-studded night at the Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater Monday night for our launch of the 2026 Music School Festival Orchestra season. We gave the world premiere of a work commissioned by the Institution from the award-winning American composer Damien Geter. It is a powerful and moving setting of excerpts from two books written by American poet and author, Newbery Medalist and Emmy-winner Kwame Alexander who provided the narration.
 
Following intermission came the Elegy of Pulitzer Prize, Academy Award, and 5-time Grammy-winner John Corigliano who was also at the concert. And, of course, the other stars of the night, the phenomenal musicians of the Music School Festival Orchestra who, along with the compelling performances of the Geter and Corigliano, delivered a stylish Haydn Symphony 96 and a dramatic and exhilarating performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1.
 
Kwame is a community favorite here at CHQ, serving as the Institution’s Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts and the Institution's Inaugural Writer-in-Residence, a dual role he stepped into in December 2023. Presently he is the 2026 Inaugural Distinguished Fellow for the African American Heritage House at Chautauqua. Symphonic performances are not something he does often, but you wouldn’t know it. His performance was riveting.
 
The Geter/Alexander work is called An American Story. The text is taken from two works of Kwame’s tracing the horrors and indignities of slavery and the challenges faced by African-Americans. The work begins with a dark and unsettled character giving way to poignant juxtapositions of American patriotic music with spirituals of the African American tradition. About halfway through the work, following a bluesy trumpet cadenza, the character changes to one of resilience, dignity, honor, resolve and some hope. The audience response was overwhelming.
 
Corigliano’s Elegy was written in the 1960’s as a remembrance of his teacher Samuel Barber. As such, there are echoes of Barber throughout the work while still being John’s voice. It is a very personal and heartfelt statement. It presented many opportunities for rich expression from the wonderful MSFO players into which they dove deeply.
 
Although the personnel of the MSFO changes every summer, the experience always retains some wonderful consistencies. This is a group made up of some of the finest young instrumentalists in world’s conservatories and colleges. We had 668 applicants for our 82 spots in the orchestra this year. In this case competition yields quality. It is a great pleasure to make music with these fine young players.
 
NEXT UP
 July 13, 2026
 Chautauqua Institution
Music School Festival Orchestra
Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
8:00 p.m.
 
RAVEL              Five Pieces from Mother Goose
KODALY        Galanta Dances (conducted by CHQ Conducting Fellow Michelle Bushkova)
PROKOFIEV     Suite No. 2 from Romeo and Juliet
 
#ChautauquaInstitution #MSFO #MusicSchoolFestivalOrchestra #KwameAlexander #DamienGeter #JohnCorigliano