May 16, 2022

It was a great pleasure, as always, to share the stage with my colleagues of the Lansing Symphony last Friday. Season closer concerts are always bittersweet. I am sorry to see the season end but very much looking forward to what next season has in store for us.
 
It was a great pleasure getting to know pianist Clayton Stephenson who played the Florence Price Concerto with us Friday night. He was scheduled to play the Beethoven First Concerto, but upon recently learning of his advancement to the finals of the Van Cliburn competition, he asked for a change in repertoire, and the Price fit the bill perfectly. He really drew us all into the work, especially the beautiful and soulful second movement and the audience was generously exuberant in their response.. His two encores brought down the house again and again.
 
The world premiere of LSO Composer-in-Residence Patrick Harlin’s “Earthrise” also garnered a powerful response of approval from our audience. I heard from many in the orchestra that they loved it too. I think this work will have a wonderful life in the orchestral repertoire.
 
I’m in Baton Rouge as I write this with the BRSO for a Beethoven Symphony No. 9 on Friday. It is always a very special experience to prepare and perform this iconic work, especially so with my long-time friends and colleagues of Baton Rouge Symphony and Chorus. We had two terrific rehearsals yesterday, and I look forward to the remainder of the work this week.
 
NEXT UP:
 
Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
Rebekah Howell, Soprano
Marquita Raley-Cooper, Mezzo-soprano  
Dominic Armstrong, Tenor
Timothy Jones , Bass-Baritone
 
River Center Theater
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7:30 p.m

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