Join Raymond Jones this Wednesday evening at 9:00 on WHRO-FM 90.3 for “A Local Touch – Music with a Virginia Connection,” and enjoy three hours of outstanding music with ties to Virginia in celebration of Black History Month.
We begin the evening with “Sketches Set 1” and “Pieces for Chamber Orchestra” by Ed Bland, two works that showcase his innovative style, blending elements of jazz and classical music. “Sketches Set 1” is performed by the Light Fantastic Players, conducted by Daniel Schulman, with Joe Passaro on timpani, while “Pieces for Chamber Orchestra” is brought to life by Speculum Musicae & Group for Contemporary Music, under the baton of Alvin Brehm.
Next, we take a seat at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach to enjoy bassoonist Stephanie Sanders’ performance of Carl Maria von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto in F, accompanied by Symphonicity. This November 2021 performance was praised for its virtuosity and musicality, offering a fresh and dynamic interpretation of this beloved classic—truly a performance worth revisiting.
Equally memorable is the Berlin Symphony’s rendition of Miklós Rózsa’s Concerto for Strings, conducted by Richmond-born maestro Isaiah Jackson. This intense and expressive piece masterfully blends Hungarian folk influences with the American orchestral tradition.
We then move on to one of the most iconic works in the violin repertoire: Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D. This recording, made last year, features the Virginia Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Norfolk-born conductor Thomas Wilkins, with rising star Geneva Lewis as the violin soloist. Her internationally acclaimed artistry brings fresh energy to this timeless masterpiece.
And we couldn’t close the night without William Grant Still’s “Afro-American Symphony,” a groundbreaking work in American symphonic music. In this performance, renowned Richmond-born conductor Paul Freeman leads the London Symphony Orchestra in a deeply sensitive and masterfully precise interpretation.
Let the power of music guide you in celebrating Black History Month this Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. on WHRO FM 90.3, or listen online through our Media Player or your smart device.
