The San Luis Obispo Symphony will host its final concert of the 2022-2023 season, “Tchaikovsky & Testimony,” on May 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Attendees of all ages are welcome to a free “No Ties Allowed” open dress rehearsal at the performing arts center at 11 a.m., the day of the concert. “No Ties Allowed” rehearsals are sponsored by Paul Severtson, Ann Shaw, Charles Baccadoro, Nancy Weber, Roger Vogler, and Dianne and Michael Draze.
The Symphony will open with the “Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber” by Paul Hindemith. The work is a tour de force, testing the strengths of the modern orchestra.
In partnership with the Diversity Coalition of San Luis Obispo, the Symphony will also perform the West Coast premier of “Testimony of Tone, Tune and Time” by Dr. William Banfield. Learn more about the Diversity Coalition at the organization’s table in the lobby, before the show and at intermission.
The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra commissioned “Testimony of Tone, Tune and Time” in 2021, which premiered in July 2022. With seven short movements, the narration is based upon the speeches of historical African American orator and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass. It is scored for two narrators, solo saxophone, piano, harp, percussion, and strings.
The work has three protagonists: Frederick Douglass, represented by the saxophone, played by guest soloist, Anthony Yi; The People, represented by the piano, harp, percussion and string; and The Voice of Douglass, represented by two narrators.
The guest narrators are Keenon Hooks, Resident Artist and Director/Choreographer at Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, (PCPA), and Dr. Amber Machamer, Executive Director Institutional Effectiveness and Educational Services, San José – Evergreen Community College District. Amber Machamer, along with her sister, Leah Mata Fragua, are members of the Yak Tityu Tiyu Yak Tilhini (Northern Chumash) tribe located on the Central California Coast. For Amber’s performance, Leah has created a traditional tribal regalia with contemporary accents.
Dr. William Banfield, the composer of this extraordinary piece will be visiting San Luis Obispo for a mini residency at Cal Poly and will be attending the performance.
The Symphony will close out the night with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Known as the Fate symphony, it is among Tchaikovsky’s finest compositions.
Ticket holders are invited to attend a pre-concert Symphonic Foray talk, which begins at 6:30 p.m., with Music Director Andrew Sewell and a special guest the hour before the performance. This is sponsored in loving memory of Michael Fitzgerald.
Tickets are available through the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo Box office at pacslo.org or by calling 805-756-4849.