The Philadelphia Orchestra

Led by “2022 Musical America Conductor of the Year” Teddy Abrams, this program highlights the sounds of American music from past to present. Experience iconic works by Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber, and a SPAC premiere by contemporary composer Mason Bates, featuring genre-bending trio Time for Three. Opening the program is Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music in the world. The piece has been a mainstay of pop culture in films such as Lorenzo’s Oil and Platoon, has marked somber occasions with performances at the funerals of FDR and JFK, and even experienced a rediscovery by younger generations when it was performed as a dance music anthem by Dutch DJ, Tiësto in the early 2000’s. Following is Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, a joyous and evocative work that reflects the spirit of the frontier. Originally composed as a ballet to accompany the choreography of Martha Graham, the piece draws inspiration from the Shaker hymn, “Simple Gifts.” The program closes with the SPAC premiere of Mason Bates’ newest work, Silicon Hymnal. Written for GRAMMY and Emmy-winning trio, Time for Three, the work is an “electro-acoustic book of songs” that showcases Time for Three’s versatility, merging classical, Americana, and singer-songwriter styles. The work was co-commissioned by SPAC and follows SPAC’s previous commission for Time for Three in 2022 of Kevin Puts’ piece Contact,which earned the group their first GRAMMY Award. Learn more and buy tickets now at spac.org