This concert is for digital viewing, streaming live at concert time. Available on demand for 30 days starting May 20.
7:30PM | WHITING AUDITORIUM
Enrique Diemecke, Music Director & Conductor
Flint Symphony Chorus
Nada Radakovich and Jeffrey Walker, directors
Jhane Perdue, soprano
Tiffany Thorpe, mezzo soprano
Frank Pitts, bass
John Riesen, Tenor
RACHMANINOFF Vocalise from Fourteen Songs, op.34, no. 14
BEETHOVEN Symphony #9, op.125, D minor
This bold program of heavy-hitters is the perfect way to wrap up the 2022-23 FSO season. Vocalise from Fourteen Songs features soprano soloist Jhane Perdue. Rachmaninoff wrote a beautiful, melancholy melody reflecting the state of the time as World War I raged on. The soprano solo does not have any words or text, only singing on a syllable, which showcases the dynamic and expressive quality of the human voice.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, one of the composer’s greatest works, is hailed as a milestone achievement in music history. Beethoven was one of the first composers to include a chorus and soloists in a symphonic format—this piece requires a large orchestra, with the FSO’s performance including 76 musicians for the performance. Though it is diverse and varied, the symphony is unified and coherent in form—meandering through beautiful melodies and exhilarating flourishes to arrive at the grand finale: Ode to Joy featuring a full choir and orchestra.
The Flint Festival Chorus was founded by J. Dallas Dort in 1913. Mr. Dort’s ambitions were to form a musical organization to “unite all persons of the city into a musical union, for the benefit of all people in the city.” More than 100 years later, the choir still involves persons from the greater Flint area, and brings together singers from ages 18 to 80 to perform both as a concert choir and as a symphonic choir.
Concert Sponsor: Anonymous 16
Guest Artist Sponsors:
Drs. Paul & Barbara Adams Dr. Kenneth & Nancy Lee Fawcett Jean Craig Flynn
FSO Live Sponsor:
Howard & Rita Shand