September is a very energizing time at the TSO with three free pre-season events including the Mexican Independence Day concert, Earshot CoLABoratory readings and the Symphony Showcase followed by the Mozart and Tchaikovsky opening night concert. All these events are unique and together they paint a picture of who we are as an organization.
The Mexican Independence Day concert is a celebration of Tucson’s rich cultural history and presents a great opportunity to reach out to the Hispanic community through collaborations with the Mexican Consulate in Tucson and other local performing arts groups.. (Read more about the Mexican Independence Day Concert in the August edition of Encore: Mexican Independence Day Concert Celebrates Tucson’s Vibrant Hispanic Heritage.) The Earshot CoLABoratory program is one of the ways that we nourish the new voices of classical music, and this year is a particular stand out, working with indigenous composers for the first time. And the Showcase is our way welcoming the broader Tucson community to sample a taste of what the season has in store. “While we do all these things throughout the year, in September we do all this multifaceted work in a very short amount of time. In a way we’re defining ourselves in these exciting September events. They really represent who we are and what we care about.”
EarShot CoLABoratory will include the work of four Native composers including Pulitzer Prize winner Raven Chacon (Diné), Laura Ortman (White Mountain Apache), Kite (Oglala Lakota), and Michael Begay (Diné). Audiences will be able to observe the collaborative process between the composers and the orchestra.
EarShot is the first ongoing, systematic program for developing relationships between composers and orchestras on the national level. Through EarShot Readings, CoLABoratory Residencies, commissions, and professional development, EarShot ensures a vibrant musical future by investing in creativity today.
The four composers will have their pieces read by the musicians of the TSO and will work with Maestro Gomez to further their drafts and create an even more elaborate composition. Each of the composers have different approaches to the presentation of their music, with some having visual components to pair with their presentation. Says José Luis Gomez, “The Earshot readings are particularly special to me because we will be working with Pulitzer Prize winner, Raven Chacon. The audience will get a chance to preview the piece we have specially commissioned from him that will debut on the Dvořák and the American Experience program. We will also see him coaching other Native American composers; he’s very committed to mentoring Native Americans and passionate about forwarding their voices in classical music.”
The Mozart and Tchaikovsky opening night program includes Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 and This Midnight Hour by contemporary composer Anna Clyne. The program perfectly encapsulates the theme of the 2024-25 season: Discover the Mix. It highlights the continuous thread through the music of the storytelling with links from the past to the present and showcases the relevance and caliber of contemporary classical music. “Tchaikovsky, like other Russian composers, was a master of telling stories through music, and Clyne does the same thing. She embraces the audience and invites them in to relate to her work.”
This Midnight Hour was inspired by poets Juan Ramón Jiménez and Charles Baudelaire. Clyne describes the piece as having “cascades of dense texture. I split the string sections into two; so instead of having two first violins and second violins I have four sets of violins creating a delay effect. Another interesting thing about this piece is it really juxtaposes more chamber-like moments with the grand force of the entire Orchestra.”
For the Mozart concerto, TSO will share the stage with French pianist David Fray. “David is a sophisticated player, he’s a very elegant and insightful artist. David is a true master of detail. When it comes to performing the Mozart concerto, he is one of the best in the world. It’s a delight to have him join us for opening night.”
Secure your tickets for Earshot CoLABoratory readings and Mozart and Tchaikovsky. The Mexican Independence Day and Symphony Showcase concerts are sold out.
