“The landscape of modern American classical music is always evolving,” writes Colin Roshak in Wednesday’s (2/27) Anchorage Daily News (Alaska). “The Anchorage Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming performance, ‘Made in America,’ will feature works by seminal American composers Howard Hanson and Joan Tower that both explore the origins of contemporary music tradition and, with the addition of Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto, presents the future of American talent [with soloist Daniel Hsu]….. The concert’s namesake piece—Joan Tower’s ‘Made in America’ … was jointly commissioned in 2004 by 65 different orchestras in collaboration with the League of American Orchestras …. ‘Made in America’ is based on the tune of ‘America the Beautiful’ … The heart of the program is Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 … commissioned and first performed by the Boston Symphony in 1930… Despite his impact as an educator and the continued performances of many of his works, Hanson remains a relatively unknown composer. ASO music director Randall Craig Fleischer said he took this into consideration when programming the concert. ‘It’s a risky business, performing works of living or unfamiliar composers,’ he said. Nonetheless, he thinks Hanson will be met with warm welcome.”
Joan Tower will receive the League of American Orchestras’ highest honor, the Gold Baton, at the League’s National Conference in Nashville this June. Click here to learn more about the Conference, including the Gold Baton presentation. information.
Posted February 28, 2019
