“The fall concert of Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra was a celebration of many things, but mostly of courage and the need to embrace all of humanity in today’s world,” writes Karen Dandurant in Sunday’s (11/5) Seacoastonline.com (Portsmouth, N.H.). “ ‘Many forces came together for tonight’s program,’ said John Page, director and conductor of the PSO. ‘I chose ‘La Mer’ (Debussy) because it speaks to our relationship with the sea…. [The 1988 ‘Kennedy Portrait’] by William Kraft … speaks to our lives, our values.’ … The Kraft piece is inspired by a 1963 speech written for Kennedy, which … he never delivered. The narrative portion was performed by [Jerome] Meadows, the sculptor and artist responsible for the design of the African Burying Ground memorial. With the backing of the full orchestra, the ‘Kennedy Portrait’ combined Meadows’ spoken word with interludes of music, for a powerful delivery of the message…. [Randy] Armstrong … this year’s artist in residence at the PSO … performed his own work, called ‘Tribute in Courage,’ with … the PSO and local musician Marty Quinn, who played the tabla. Armstrong … said the piece … ‘is homage to all who sacrifice to fight all forms of prejudice.’ ”
Posted November 7, 2017
