Alexandria Symphony Presents New World Symphony – Going Home
Posted Oct 06, 2023 | ASO News, Events, Press Releases,
Alexandria, VA—Led by Music Director James Ross, the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra will present the program Going Home on Saturday, November 4, 2023, and Sunday, November 5, 2023. Throughout the 2023-2024 season, ASO is celebrating its 80th anniversary season with ASO at 80 original commissioned pieces, works featuring composers and soloists from diverse backgrounds, multiple masterworks, and selections by living composers.
Antonín Dvořák’s beloved New World Symphony anchors November’s program, conveying the sounds of Appalachia and Americana. Tscenacomoco by Native American composer Dawn Avery connects to Alexandria’s Native history and Dvořák’s exploration of Native American and African American music. The concerts will also feature excerpts from Margaret Bonds’ Montgomery Variations, written as a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., and the performances will open with a surprise guest artist.
Mountain dulcimer virtuoso Stephen Seifert is the featured artist on the program, performing Conni Ellisor’s Blackberry Winter. Seifert has performed with numerous orchestras and at hundreds of festivals and events in the U.S., England, and Japan. An expert on the mountain dulcimer, he has authored ten books, four CDs, and hundreds of instructional videos. Seifert has worked with Ellisor on multiple collaborations, including the recording of Blackberry Winter where he was featured with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra.
The 2023-2024 Season is generously underwritten by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, and the Rea Charitable Trust. Dawn Avery’s Tscenacomoco has been commissioned and sponsored by Classical Movements as part of the ASO at 80 Project.
All Saturday performances are held at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees are held at the George Washington Masonic Memorial at 3:00 p.m. Saturday concert attendees are invited to a pre-concert talk with Maestro Ross and Mr. Seifert at 6:30 p.m. in the Terrace section of the hall. Parking is free at both venues. Tickets are now on sale. Adult prices start at $20 with $5 for youth (18 and under) and $15 for students. Military, senior and group discounts are also available.
