The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has launched “Songs of America,” a collection of video performances that celebrate the breadth of voices in American music, framed against St. Louis landmarks. The collection features SLSO small-ensemble performances recorded at Powell Hall, the orchestra’s home, and footage filmed at locations throughout the St. Louis region; content is posted, together with program notes, at the SLSO’s website, and on its Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages. The videos also are airing on the Nine Network of Public Media. SLSO Music Director Stéphane Denève performed on piano in the series; he and musicians of the SLSO were joined by St. Louis-area singers, artists, and videographers for this series of free pre-recorded videos featuring music by Sam Cooke, W.C. Handy, Scott Joplin, George Walker, and others. Performers include vocalist Kennedy Holmes, St. Louis musician/arranger Adam Maness, singer/songwriter/community advocate Brian Owens, vocalist and SLSO IN UNISON Fellow Malena Smith, and The 442, an instrumental ensemble. In its opening week, the orchestra reported that “Songs of America” segments reached 175,000 people through its digital channels.
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