“The Akron Symphony Orchestra this season is taking bold cues from the song ‘God Bless America,’ ” writes Zachary Lewis in Tuesday’s (10/15) Plain Dealer (Cleveland). “With a new project featuring female composers … conceived in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in 2020, the four-concert ‘Stand Beside Her’ project seeks to begin righting a glaring and longstanding cultural wrong: Of all the composers in the classical canon, not one is a woman … The project begins Saturday, Oct. 19 … [when] the ASO will play ‘The Wreckers,’ the most famous work by British suffragette Ethel Smyth. After that come five more pieces, one or more per subscription program: ‘Coquetos’ by Gabriela Lena Frank … ‘Made in America’ by Joan Tower … ‘Masquerade’ by Anna Clyne, ‘Juba Dance & Finale’ by Florence Price, and ‘Impressions of Cheonmachong’ by Kyle and Brooke Jee-In Newmaster (all on May 16). Each, [Music Director Christopher] Wilkins said, was pulled from a pool of some 40 pieces of interest in an effort to represent as many styles and eras as possible.” Kimia Ghaderi, a violinist and development manager at the ASO, co-designed the project and will speak after each concert.
Posted October 16, 2019
