“The Maryland Symphony Orchestra opened its 2018-19 season over the weekend, offering added visual experiences,” writes Dave McMillion in Sunday’s (10/14) Herald-Mail (Hagerstown, MD). “They came during two parts of a concert Saturday night and Sunday afternoon titled ‘Visions of America.’ The orchestra [led by Music Director Elizabeth Schulze] performed Aaron Copland’s ‘Appalachian Spring,’ and to help illustrate life in Appalachia, the group turned to local photographer Ira Lourie and local high school students. Lourie and the students put together a package of photos that were shown during the musical piece…. The project was two years in the making. Lourie considered thousands of his own images, and students from Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, Clear Spring High School and Williamsport High School offered 900 images from which to choose…. The first part of the concert featured a newly commissioned piece that composer Michael Daugherty produced for the MSO and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra…. ‘Night Owl’ was inspired by Daugherty’s fascination with the works of O. Winston Link, an American photographer known for his black-and-white photos of steam engines … a part of [Daugherty’s] life growing up…. Images of Link’s photos were projected behind the orchestra [during] the piece.”
Posted October 15, 2018
