This Wednesday evening at 9:00 p.m., tune in to WHRO FM 90.3 for another edition of A Local Touch: Music with a Virginia Connection, hosted by our beloved Raymond Jones. The program will feature an exquisite performance by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Music Director Emeritus JoAnn Falletta, recorded in May 2024.
The evening's lineup includes Joaquín Turina's vibrant “Danzas Fantásticas,” a suite inspired by Spanish folklore and filled with rhythmic zest. Following that, listeners will be treated to Adolphus Hailstork's new Piano Concerto No. 2, titled “The Peaceable Kingdom,” with acclaimed pianist Lara Downes as the soloist. Hailstork, a prominent composer based in Norfolk, was actually induced by Downes to write this second piano concerto, 30 years after composing his first one.
Lara Downes spoke with Raymond Jones about this concert when she was in town for the recording. You can listen to their conversation here.
The program will also include selections from Sergei Prokofiev’s dramatic and beloved ballet “Romeo and Juliet,” bringing the timeless tale of love and tragedy to life through the lush sounds of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Adding to the richness of the evening, Raymond Jones will present a recording of Hailstork’s Symphony No. 3, a colorful and brilliantly orchestrated composition filled with catchy themes and vibrant rhythms. Plus, don’t miss an insightful conversation with maestro Abdiel Vasquez, who is in town to conduct next week’s Opera in Williamsburg production of Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor.”
Join us for this celebration of Virginia’s vibrant classical music scene, this Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. on WHRO FM 90.3, or online, and experience the local talent that makes our region shine.
