Sound Bites From the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra

Listen as as APO Concertmaster Er-Gene Kahng and reknowned cellist Anita Graef discuss her upcoming performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’ "Cello Concerto No. 1", Graef will perform with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra on October 13th as part of "Innovations: A Celebration of Breakthroughs". This evening of music will accompany the Fashioning America exhibition at the beautiful Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Benontonville, Arkansas. TIckets on sale now: https://bit.ly/APO-innovations-concert

Listen as APO's Maestro Steven Byess interviews composer Barbara Harbach, discussing her work and fascination with Americana.


 


The Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Barbara Harbach's "American Solstice" on October 13th, during the upcoming concert "Innovations: A Celebration of Breakthroughs", at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.


 


Join the APO for an evening of music to accompany the Fashioning America exhibition. It’s a tribute to American grit, glamor and cultural firsts.


 


Don't miss it! https://bit.ly/APO-innovations-concert

Seven Last Words: Joel Thompson's Seven Last Words of the Unarmed takes the last words of unarmed Black Men (Kenneth Chamberlain, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Michael Brown, Oscar Grant, John Crawford, Eric Garner and George Floyd) before they were killed.  According to Thompson, the composition was "an effort to humanize these men and to reckon with my identity as a black man in this country in relation to this specific scourge of police brutality". Join me in exploring this powerful work this week.  
Visit the APO Listening List on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5TWmchbUilbMXtHG4vpHd3?si=4787b1f0422d4033

Ineffable Grief: How many times have we witnessed or personally experienced an event too great for words, when we can neither muster the words nor find the "right" words to fully express how we feel? This week we explore the ways Berio's  "O King" and Messien's "Quartet for the End of Time" respond to the specific tragic events of their time and attempt to "find the right words" through their music.
Visit the APO Listening List on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5TWmchbUilbMXtHG4vpHd3?si=4787b1f0422d4033
 
 

What is the role of the conductor?: I interview UK-based conductor Dwight-Pile Gray this week as we cover a range of topics such as the history of the role of the conductor; how a conductor approaches and prepares for a rehearsal, as well as the question: is there a place for modern values to be expressed in classical music? Dwight also shares some of his favorite compositions by nationalist composer Antonin Dvorak.  
Visit the APO Listening List on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5TWmchbUilbMXtHG4vpHd3?si=4787b1f0422d4033
 

Who was Louis Ballard?: Pianist Nathan Carterette joins me in speaking about the legacy of Native American composer Louis Ballard, known as the "father of Native American composition".  Nathan guides us through a few of Ballard's solo piano pieces and shares Ballard's fascinating biography.

Visit the APO Listening List on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5TWmchbUilbMXtHG4vpHd3?si=4787b1f0422d4033