A Trio Of Distinctly American Works
A diverse sonic celebration of the music of the Americas awaits listeners at the Kansas Center For The Performing Arts this winter, brought to the stage by the Kansas City Symphony and its fearless leader Michael Stern. The program kicks off with Gershwin's Cuban Overture, an orchestral tone poem written in 1932 after the Rhapsody In Blue composer was inspired by a two week sojourn in Havana. Filled with the propulsive Caribbean rhythms, clave beats and the percussion of a classic rumba the stunning showpiece embodies the spirit of the Island nation's effervescent dance culture.
Things keep on a tropical track with Pat Metheny's Imaginary Day, during which renowned percussionists Christopher Deviney and Christopher McLaurin join the ensemble on vibraphone and marimba respectively. The duo piece began life as a signature rhythm-driven and texturally synth-heavy work for guitar, later evolving into a polyrhythmic orchestral arrangement thanks to a collaboration with Deviney. The evening closes with the soaring American folk-inspired melodies of Dvorak's celebrated Symphony No. 9.
