(Read about our guest artist here.)
The Parkway Concert Orchestra concludes its 2008-09 “Season of Celebrations” with a spring concert on Sunday, May 3 at 3 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 100 Winter Street, Norwood.
Music Director and Conductor Matthew Fritz presents the 50-piece orchestra in an American classical and pops program including “America! Patriot Themes”, Copland’s “Variations on a Shaker Melody”, Grofe’s “On the Trail”, Griffes’ “The White Peacock”, Anderson’s “Blue Tango”, medley “Broadway Tonight” and selections from Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9 From the New World”.
The concert features the world premiere of “Orchestral Celebration” by Phoenix, Arizona composer and percussionist Joshua Michael Carro. This is the first piece commissioned for the orchestra by conductor Matthew Fritz, and commemorates his inaugural season as Music Director.
The program is supported in part by a grant from the Norwood Cultural Council, a local agency, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Ticket prices are $15 for adults; $10 for seniors and $8 for children under 12 years old. For ticket reservations please call 781-762-0288.
| America! Patriotic Themes | arranged by James Christensen |
| Orchestral Celebration (world premiere) | Joshua Michael Carro |
| Variations on a Shaker Melody, from Appalachian Spring | Aaron Copland |
| Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 | Antonin Dvorak |
| II. Largo IV. Allegro con fuoco |
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| ---Intermission--- | |
| On The Trail, from The Grand Canyon Suite | Ferde Grofe, arranged by C. Paul Herfurth |
| The White Peacock, Op. 7, No. 1 | Charles T. Griffes |
| conducted by assistant conductor Brian Bell | |
| Blue Tango | Leroy Anderson |
| Broadway Tonight! | arranged by Bruce Chase |
| Everything’s Coming Up Roses Soon It’s Gonna Rain My Favorite Things Try To Remember That’s Entertainment People |
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Joshua Michael Carro is a composer and percussionist based out of Phoenix, Arizona. His interest in experimenting with musical sound, timbre, and color has lead him to work extensively with electronic and computer-generated sound. While he enjoys the freedom that electronic music provides him, he is well-versed in writing for orchestras, bands, and various other ensembles. He is more interested in creating atmosphere or sound-landscapes than inventing themes or singable melodies, and yet his music is accessible even upon first hearing.
Orchestral Celebration was written for the Parkway Concert Orchestra, and donated by the composer to help support their Season of Celebrations (08-09). The piece is short, fast and exciting after a slow, anticipation-building introduction. The work was composed using modal scales, which would usually echo the sounds of ancient Western music. However, in this case, it is more reminiscent of South-Asian Classical music, especially in the Raga-like treatment of thematic material. A Raga (literally color or mood) is a group of notes from which melodies are derived. This is the first piece commissioned for the orchestra by conductor Matthew Fritz, and commemorates his inaugural season as Music Director.