“American Splendor” features World Premiere

Feb. 21 & 22, 8pm / Long Center’s Dell Hall
Ephraim Owens and Giveton Gelin, trumpeters
Peter Bay, conductor
PROGRAM:
DUKE ELLINGTON/Luther Henderson: Three Black Kings
SAM LIPMAN: Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra (World Premiere)
LEONARD BERNSTEIN: On the Town: Three Dance Episodes
GEORGE GERSHWIN: An American in Paris
Your Austin Symphony Orchestra invites you to a celebration of American music, featuring a diverse selection of inspiring works. The program opens with Duke Ellington and Luther Henderson’s evocative Three Black Kings, followed by the world premiere of Sam Lipman’s poignant Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra.
After intermission, the program continues with Leonard Bernstein’s vibrant On the Town: Three Dance Episodes, a work that captures the boundless energy of New York City. The concert concludes with George Gershwin’s iconic An American in Paris, transporting listeners to the bustling streets of the French capital and showcasing the rich tapestry of American musical influences.
Lipman shares this about his composition:
“The Concerto grew out of nearly two decades of collaboration with Austin´s own Ephraim Owens, whose musical voice bridges the blues, bebop, and classical traditions in ways that defy categorization. The concerto is both a tribute to Ephraim´s artistry and a love letter to Austin´s rich and diverse musical culture. It blends the raw emotion of blues, the quicksilver wit of bebop, and the lush power of the orchestra into something that I hope feels both timeless and uniquely Austin.” Trumpeters Ephraim Owens and New York´s Giveton Gelin will take the stage to perform this piece with your ASO!
World Premiere Sponsors:
Tejemos Foundation
Lynne Dobson and Greg Wooldridge
Concert Sponsors:
Frost Bank / Linda & Nick van Bavel
Guest Artist Sponsors:
The EGF Charitable Fund / William Kerley & Rhonda Farrington / Andrew K. Schwartz III & Sylvia M. Arabian