South Shore Orchestra opens their 9th season with a theme of Fusion of Art and Music in their first concert presentation of Passionate Colors. An evening of colorful works will be featured including the world premiere of RED, a piece created by the young and talented composer Ana Milosavljevic with an exhibit of artworks created to its sound by artist Kirsten Renehan and her advanced students from Chesterton High School.
Also featured will be the famed Dvorak Symphony No. 9, the New World Symphony, his most popular symphony influenced by his journey to America. Also a guest performance by Hannah Cantu, SSO’s 2012 Scholarship recipient and finally a special guest conductor appearance by Dr. Michael Leland leading the orchestra in a rousing presentation of Stars and Stripes, honoring American heroes. This entertaining event will be on Friday, May 31 at Ivy Tech Auditorium Theater at 7 p.m.
ANA Milosavljevic is a Serbian native and New York City-based composer, violinist, and Viper electric violinist of eclectic, cutting-edge contemporary music. Her “inventive,” “graceful,” ”showpiece” works (New York Times) have been premiered at Carnegie Hall, Off-Broadway, and as a guest violinist in concerts nationally and internationally.
Inspired by a piece she composed for a colleague in 2008 she continued her composing journey by creating RED for string quartet. “Red is my favorite color. It is the color of the sunrise and the sunset. This color resonates with me, symbolizing love, passion, courage, vitality, beauty, and life.” It first premiered for string quartet with Grammy Award-winning Native American flutist Robert Mirabal, in 2011 at the Akron Art Museum as part of the program Music of the Sun. Ultimately Ana created the symphonic instrumentation, which debuts here in Valparaiso by South Shore Orchestra. Milosavljevic will be a guest at SSO performance on May 31.
Antonin Dvorak, a famed Czech composer whose mastery including assimilating his own national folk traditions into effective musical styles came to direct the National Conservatory in New York City in 1892. His main goal while here was to discover American Music and engage in it. He supported the concept that from African-American and Native American music traditions would evolve a truly unique national style of music. New World Symphony showcases just that as it includes those inherent sounds and and transitions that color our most basic American traditions. So American that Neil Armstrong took a recording of the New World Symphony to the Moon in 1969.
The evening will begin at 6 p.m. in the lobby of Ivy Tech with a “meet and greet” reception with the musicians, composer and artists. Doors open for seating at 6:30. Tickets can be purchased online at southshoreorchestra.org or at the door. Adults $15. Seniors and Students with ID $10. Children under 12 FREE.