Utah Symphony to Perform New Commission by Augusta Read Thomas, 2/20-21

Maestro Thierry Fischer and the Utah Symphony welcome Augusta Read Thomas to Abravanel Hall as they perform the world premiere of EOS (Goddess of the Dawn), a ballet for orchestra commissioned by the Utah Symphony. Also on the program is Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1 and Resident Artist Baiba Skride playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto. February 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. There will also be a special concert at the Browning Fine Arts Center in Ogden on Thursday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, priced from $18 to $69 ($10 for students), are available for purchase through www.utahsymphony.org or by calling (801) 355-2787.

Written in honor of Pierre Boulez, EOS (Goddess of the Dawn) musically depicts the movements of Eos as she brings forth the new day by opening the gates of heaven, welcoming the morning air and cheering on her brother, the Sun. "For my whole life I have revered Mr. Boulez's music, conducting, citizenship, humanity, grace, intellect, writings, and generosity. He is a great person. His support of my work inspires me to keep working hard and I am forever and ever indebted to Mr. Boulez," Ms. Thomas says. "I like my music to have the feeling that it is organically being self-propelled - on the spot. As if we listeners are overhearing a captured improvisation. EOS is a very kaleidoscopic score, with solos for many players, shifts in rhythmic syntax, shifts in harmony and harmonic rhythm, with distinct sections that have unique moods... each section of this ballet has its own aura."

In early December, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Jane Chu announced that Utah Symphony was one of 919 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant and recommended for a $10,000 grant to support the world premiere performances of "EOS for Orchestra."

"I am extremely pleased that we have the support of the National Endowment for the Arts in bringing fabulous composers such as Augusta Read Thomas to Utah. We are fortunate as an orchestra to be able to commission works by living composers," said Utah Symphony Music Director Thierry Fischer. "It's our responsibility to present historical compositions but also crucial that we keep classical music alive by creating exciting opportunities for composers, musicians, and audiences in our community. Today's music is tomorrow's culture."

Showcasing her talent on Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Resident Artist Baiba Skride returns to Abravanel Hall after a striking performance three weeks earlier performing Alban Berg's Violin Concerto with the Utah Symphony. Beethoven was said to be so confident of this work's lasting merit that when he wrote it at age 36, he made a rash boast, predicting that violinists would still be playing it 50 years after his death. Beethoven died almost 200 years ago, and violinists will probably still be performing this work for the next 200 years.

Also on the program is Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1. This first symphony by the Russian composer is commonly called "Classical," a name he gave it himself, though it is anything but classical. This symphony is well known for its humor, portrayed in the way that it sets up our expectations for it to sound like everything written before it, and then does something else. Audiences have been known to burst out laughing while enjoying this work.

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