America's most culturally diverse orchestra, the Southeast Symphony, celebrates its final concert of the 2017 - 18 season with the greatest undertaking in its 70-year history.

The program, entitled Revolution /Resurrection, is an American retrospective as well as a compelling narrative about the most influential American of the 20th century, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Negro Spiritual was born out of the tragedy of slavery and evolved into the powerful anthems of the Civil Rights movement. Lettrice Lawrence, Bradley Baker, and Jacob Lusk (American Idol) breathe life into these songs including "Oh, Freedom", "Wade in the Water", "City Called Heaven", and "Strange Fruit" as we confront America's complex past and embrace hope for the future of our country.

Errollyn Wallen has achieved acclaim as one of the foremost composers of her generation. Southeast Symphony is proud to give the American premiere of her "Concerto Grosso" which features British-Nigerian virtuoso, Chi-chi Nwanoku, heralded worldwide as one of the great living virtuosos of the contrabass and founder of Chineke!

Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony is one of the undisputed masterpieces ever conceived. Invoking images of the resurrection and the afterlife, this work calls for gargantuan forces; large orchestra, grand chorus, pipe organ, and two soloists. The Southeast Symphony is thrilled to perform excerpts from this awe-inspiring work and to welcome acclaimed opera sensations, Jen Lindsay and Maria Dominique Lopez back to Los Angeles to perform with the orchestra.

Errollyn was specially commissioned to compose a new orchestral work to help celebrate the 60th anniversary season of Royal Northern Sinfonia. The work will receive its world premiere at the special birthday gala and wii be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Tuesday September 25th.

Big RNS Birthday Gala
Radio 3 in Concert

The Royal Northern Sinfonia, celebrates its sixtieth anniversary with a monumental concert from the Sage Gateshead – including music of, and inspired by, the 'First Viennese School', archive recordings, and a new commission by Errollyn Wallen.

Beethoven: Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage
Fauré: Pavane
Mozart: Laudate Dominum
Mozart: Exsultate, Jubilate

FIRST INTERVAL

Poulenc: Concert champêtre
Prokofiev: Symphony No 1 in D Major, 'Classical'
Wallen: RNS Birthday Commission

SECOND INTERVAL

Haydn: Symphony No 6, ‘Le matin’
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn

Lars Vogt: Conductor
Mahan Esfahani: Harpsichord
Sarah Tynan: Soprano
Royal Northern Sinfonia
Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia

Matthew Sharp performs the Cello Concerto at Errollyn Wallen's alma mater.

As part of the Americana ’18 series at St John’s Smith Square, Michael Harper, tenor, Nadine Benjamin, soprano, Nigel Foster, pianist, are doing a recital called - Portrait of a Life (or Many): Art Songs from the African Diaspora featuring art songs by Black British and African American composers.