Composer

The third concert of the Curtis Presents series builds upon the school’s longstanding tradition of innovation, inspiration, and artistic excellence as it celebrates eight of its distinguished composition alumni. As Curtis looks to its centenary in 2024, this retrospective program highlights iconic Curtis composers Jennifer Higdon (’88), Leonard Bernstein (Conducting ’41), David Serkin Ludwig (’01), Samuel Barber (’34), Ned Rorem (’44), Julius Eastman (’63), and recently appointed composition faculty member, Jonathan Bailey Holland (’96), in an evening of boundary-pushing chamber works and early-career classics that shaped the landscape of contemporary classical music.

EPSG:4326

Curtis Composers

Curtis Institute of Music Lenfest Hall

Camile Saint-Saëns’ adventurous, final symphony has been engrained in popular culture, with themes from its memorable triumphant last movement appearing in pop songs and as the main theme in the film Babe. Dedicated to Franz Liszt, the “Organ” symphony led fellow composer Charles Gounod to hail Saint-Saëns as “the French Beethoven.” LA Phil Principal Concertmaster Martin Chalifour leads Maurice Ravel’s virtuosic violin showpiece, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Music Director Louis Langrée teams up again with acclaimed composer Jonathan Bailey Holland for a world premiere symphony. 

Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Kerson Leong Plays Beethoven

Robinson Center

Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble

Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall

With just four thunderous notes, Ludwig van Beethoven has moved audiences to the edge of their seats for centuries, ready to embark on a journey through his fateful Fifth Symphony. Jonathan Bailey Holland’s lively The Party Starter is the perfect concert kickoff, followed by a striking performance by the 2023 Stulberg International String Competition Gold Medalist.

Beethoven's Fifth Symphony

Miller Auditorium

Celebrate the interconnectedness of music and dance with the Weidner Philharmonic! Let the rhythm move you as this symphonic program explores and reimagines dance music genres from around the world! From the passionate folk music of the Argentinian countryside, to a spirited tribute to Motown, to the deconstruction and disintegration of the classic waltz, this genre-bending program will have you dancing in your seat!

Weidner Philharmonic

The Weidner

The Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble utilizes a flexible instrumentation of winds, brass, and percussion to perform repertoire from standard concert band works to contemporary compositions of various instrumental combinations. 

Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble

Schenley Farms Historic District

This performance begins with an original multidisciplinary work by Interlochen Arts Academy students, followed by a side-by-side performance with NY Phil musicians including works by Valerie Coleman, John Wineglass, Jonathan Bailey Holland, and more. Leslie B. Dunner conducts.

Interlochen Arts Academy + NY Phil: मुक्ति : MUKTI

Lincoln Center

John Corigliano long resisted writing a symphony, seeing it as a form that served a composer’s ego over the audience and performers. At the height of the AIDS crisis, Corigiliano overcame that hesitation and wrote his Symphony No. 1 as a way to memorialize friends lost to the epidemic. Though he was a member of the so-called “Silent Generation,” Corigliano’s symphony served as influential composition for those coming of age in symphonic circles when it premiered in 1990. In this Gen X program curated by Thomas Adès, the milestone Symphony No. 1 is paired with music by Andrew Norman and Jonathan Bailey Holland.

Corigliano and Norman

Join us for a profound musical journey as the Evanston Symphony Orchestra commemorates the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich's death with a stirring performance of his Symphony No. 5. This concert, taking place at 2:30 pm on Sunday, February 2, 2025, promises an afternoon of lyrical beauty and powerful emotion, capturing the essence of Shostakovich's work, which many interpret as a complex blend of despair and glory.

Under the baton of Lawrence Eckerling, Music Director, the program will also feature Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s "Variations on a Rococo Theme" with the talented Christine Lamprea on cello, bringing to life the elegance and charm of Tchaikovsky's composition. The concert will open with Jonathan Bailey Holland's "Motor City Dance Mix," a vibrant homage to Detroit that fuses classical, hip-hop, jazz, and more, showcasing Holland's innovative musical vision.

This special event will be held at the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, located at 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, with additional seating at Evanston Township High School Auditorium, 1600 Dodge Avenue, Evanston. Free parking is available for attendees.

Tickets are available for advance purchase at $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, and $5.00 for full-time students. At the door, prices are $39 for adults, $35 for seniors, and $5.00 for full-time students. Children 12 and younger can attend for free but must have an assigned seat. For ticket purchases and inquiries, please call 847.864.8804 or email tickets@evanstonsymphony.org.

Enhance your concert experience by attending the Musical Insights Free Pre-Concert Preview on Friday, February 9th, at 1:30 pm. This event offers an insider’s look at the concert program, featuring discussions with Maestro Lawrence Eckerling and our soloist, providing deeper understanding and appreciation of the music to be performed.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the power and beauty of Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, and Holland, performed by the Evanston Symphony Orchestra. Reserve your seats today for an unforgettable musical experience.

Jonathan Bailey Holland

Composer

Events

Upcoming events

Feb 2, 2025

Shostakovich 5th · Evanston Symphony Orchestra

Past events

Apr 23, 2024

Curtis Composers · Curtis Institute of Music

12 - 14 Apr, 2024

Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony · Los Angeles Philharmonic

About

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