From January 5 to 28 at Jacobs Music Center, the San Diego Symphony will present a festival exploring music composed in America. “Our American Music” will launch on January 5 with a panel discussion and performance, “What Does It Mean to be an American (Composer)?” addressing the impact of globalization, diversity, technology, and the media on American composition today. James Chute, music critic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, will moderate the discussion, with Martha Gilmer, CEO, San Diego Symphony Orchestra; Gerard McBurney, creative director of the Beyond the Score series; composer Andrew Norman; and San Diego Symphony musicians. On January 6 guest conductor Andrew Gourlay will lead works by Gershwin, Andrew Norman, and Copland. San Diego Symphony Associate Conductor Sameer Patel will lead a free concert on January 7. Guest artists include singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash; hip-hop artist Talib Kweli; jazz trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos; and the Latin rock band La Santa Cecilia. An interactive art installation, The San Diego Soundbooth, will invite passersby to compose their own short musical arrangements using sound mixing software. On January 15, the orchestra will host a free community concert featuring Soundbooth compositions. Festival composers range from John Adams and Eve Beglarian to Duke Ellington, Charles Ives, and Steven Stucky.
Posted November 28, 2016
