Had Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. survived his assassin’s bullet back in 1968, he would have been 80 years old this month. Memories of him are often wistfully filled with runaway thoughts of what-ifs.
» Venue: Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore
» Time: 8:00 p.m. Wednesday
» Venue: The Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
» Time: 8:00 p.m. Thursday
» Tickets: $15 to $55
» Info: 877-BSO-1444, 410-783-8000, bsomusic.org
ALSO AT THE MEYERHOFF
» On Friday at 8:00 p.m., Marin Alsop will lead the BSO in a program of Brahms’ First Symphony including a reprise of Joseph Schwantner’s “New Morning for the World” and Tchaikovsky’s “Hamlet” overture.
» Alsop will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in its second Off the Cuff program at 7 p.m. Saturday featuring Brahms’ First Symphony. The program begins with lively commentary from stage combined with musical examples performed by the BSO and concludes with the work performed in its entirety.
What if King heard this week’s performance of Joseph Schwantner’s musical work “New Morning for the World” featuring former National Association for the Advancement of Colored People President Kweisi Mfume reciting the former civil rights leader’s stirring speeches to the orchestral strains of this commemorative composition?
No doubt, he would have been proud of (and reinvigorated by) Mfume’s stunning presentation, which is a highlight of Maryland’s 23rd Annual Tribute Concert to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The African-American Commission on History and Culture has partnered with the BSO all these years in order to provide historical guidance on the celebration of the [national] holiday,” said Laura Farmer, BSO public relations manager.
Maestra Marin Alsop leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Soulful Symphony and the Baltimore City College Choir in this inspirational program that also features a selection from Soulful Symphony founder and director Darin Atwater’s “Evolution of a People.”
“This is the first time I have had the honor of conducting the Soulful Symphony,” Alsop said. “The talented Darin Atwater has built a dynamic, expressive orchestra, and I am really looking forward to collaborating with them.”
“Evolution of a People” takes the audience on a musical journey through the history of African-Americans, from life in Africa to slavery to contemporary America.
Atwater admits to the difficulties he experienced while researching the struggles of his people throughout the ages. “It’s difficult because it’s so horrific. But you want that conviction to come through in your art. You really can’t portray the reality of the horror without immersing yourself in the pain that they must have gone through.”
The program also includes composer Michael Abels’ “Global Warming.” Allegorically titled, the work does not focus on climate change, but rather on continued improvement in race relations between people from disparate ethnicities.
Rounding out the evening’s repertoire, the City College Choir will perform two a cappella pieces followed by Richard Smallwood’s uplifting work “Total Praise” performed by full choir and orchestra.
