José Luis Gomez, conductor
Lara St. John, violin

William Grant Still: Festive Overture
Astor Piazzolla: Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (arr. Leonid Desyatnikov)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4

José’s Take:

Opening Night is a special occasion for celebration, especially after an enforced absence, and so I’ve chosen one of the most glorious symphonies to crown an evening of reconnection with you, our beloved audience.

The first half is a different kind of celebration of the beautiful diversity of the Americas—the
Festive Overture by the dean of African-American composers, William Grant Still, followed by Canadian violinist Lara St. John performing Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires uniting the Argentine tango with Vivaldi’s treatment of the same subject.

Photo by Martin Kennedy