Photo via Festival City Symphony - Facebook
Milwaukee's Festival City Symphony
The Festival City Symphony has offered family-friendly classical music for over 90 years. The concerts are free with a suggested donation. For many people, both young and old, this will be their first experience with live classical music. The Saturday Classics series are preceded by a pre-concert “Unlocking the Score” talk beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18. Concert begins at 2 p.m. at the Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W. Wisconsin Ave.
The season opener is in partnership with Violins of Hope– Wisconsin, presented by Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) and The Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC). “Violins of Hope” are violins rescued from the Holocaust and later restored. These stringed instruments now tour the world where they can be used by others, telling their stories and demonstrating that even from the darkest despair, hope can bloom forth. Festival City Symphony string players will be performing on the VoH violins during the concert.
Carter Simmons conducts the Festival Orchestra. The program includes David Diamond’s Kaddish featuring FCS principal cellist Stefan Kartman, Albinoni’s Adagio, Prokofiev’s Overture on Hebrew Themes and Copland’s stirring Third Symphony. Copland’s Third Symphony was written after World War II and first performed on October 18, 1946, by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It’s often called the American Symphony because of the presence of many American melodies.
Kaddish is a Jewish prayer affirming God’s omnipotence. Mostly in Aramaic, it is part of the Jewish ritual, one variation is used as a prayer by those in mourning. David Diamond composed this symphonic version in 1988 at the request of Maestro Gerard Schwarz, the music director and conductor of the Seattle Symphony.
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Kartman has this to say about his experience playing this reflective piece: “Kaddish is one of a group of pieces featuring Jewish traditional elements taken from liturgy and literature dating back millennia. One way in which we can connect with our most ancient traditions is through the performance of music dedicated in this way.
“A common thread that I find in learning and hearing pieces of this nature is how one can be haunted by the portrayal of suffering, violence, subjugation, and racism targeting the Jewish people and celebrate the portrayal or hope, strength and endurance against all odds. We stand on the strength of our forebears, and this is what gives me hope for the future when I study and perform such works.”
As part of its mission to enrich the cultural life of the Milwaukee community, the Festival City Symphony offers free, fun-filled Pajama Jamborees. Please note that these will take place at the Bradley Pavilion, Marcus Performing Arts Center at 929 N Water St. The initial program "Haunted Harmonies” is on October 29 at 7 p.m. Admission is free, and no reservations are required. It will feature music from Harry Potter, Coco, Danse Macabre, and more. Costumes are encouraged!
Learn more at: festivalcitysymphony.org
