The Georgia Symphony Orchestra (GSO) and Music Director Timothy Verville are proud to partner with African-American organizations in the presentation of their April concert this year entitled, America Volume 4. Since a central tenet of their mission is presenting relevant music to, the GSO is excited to collaborate with:

• Morehouse Glee Club, Dr. David Morrow
• Spelman Glee Club, Dr. Kevin Johnson
• Uzee Brown Society of Choraliers, Dr. Uzee Brown
• Georgia Spiritual Ensemble, Dr. Oral Moses

The GSO Chorus will join with their partner choristers to form a 200+ voice ensemble to power the performance from outbursts of spiritual joy to the exploration of social justice. This concert will be presented twice. The special performances are scheduled April 20, 8pm, at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center on the Morehouse Campus in Atlanta; and, on April 21, 8pm, at the The Marietta Performing Arts Center.

Featuring the music of African-American composers, this concert constitutes the fourth installment in a multiyear and multi-ensemble series dedicated to American music. It includes the world premiere of Moonlight Waltz by the GSO’s own N. E. Wheeler, the Georgia premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain Human Songs and Stories and the Georgia premiere of William Grant Still’s And They Lynched Him on a Tree.

MUSIC OVERVIEW
Jonathan Bailey Holland, Motor City Dance Mix – Originally commissioned by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, this work is aimed at to make you move in your seat with the music.
N. E. Wheeler, Moonlight Waltz – This world premiere commissioned work is by a member of the GSO. Compositional, it is an enlargement and reworking of a single movement of source material from a string symphony that Wheeler previous completed.
Adolphus Hailstork, Shout for Joy – Of the piece, Hailstork says “I wanted to capture the feeling of a great European festival anthem while using African-American sounds.” The jubilant work features organ, strings, brass, and percussion with chorus.
William Grant Still, And They Lynched Him on a Tree – This Georgia premiere tells the story of a man who was convicted of a crime and lynched by a mob circumventing the justice system. As the only lynching drama in classical music, and with its segregated chorus parts, it stands alone in addressing and confronting the impact of lynching in America.
Daniel Bernard Roumain, Human Songs and Stories – The modern musical approachability of this piece creates a background to the guiding direction of the narrator and the statements presented by members of the combined choruses. All elements on stage work together to create a picture of community and the shared human experience.

For over six decades, the Georgia Symphony Orchestra has engaged audiences through imaginative programming, visionary leadership, and critically acclaimed performances. The organization is built on the foundation of music appreciation and community involvement. With those guiding principals at its core, it has witnessed steady growth over 67 years. Audiences across the region have been consistently enriched by the musical gifts of the orchestra.

For more information and ticketing, call 770-429-2390 or visit www.georgiasymphony.org.

This article originally appeared in the April issue of the EAST COBBER magazine, on page 6. Click here to view the digital edition.