About This Event
The DSO opens its season with a tribute to the constitutional freedom of speech in the U.S. and the power of artistic freedom throughout history. Nationally recognized gospel singer and performing historian Mary D. Williams (a native of Raleigh) will open each half of the program, offering unaccompanied versions of “We Shall Overcome” and “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around.” Orchestral repertoire will include Morton Gould’s “Hymnal,” from American Ballads, Verdi’s Overture to Nabucco, and two movements from Bill Robinson’s Symphony No. 3: Protest Poems: “2. Father Stalin, Look at This” and 3. “Political Theology.” Also featured will be the internationally acclaimed work Elegy for Peace by composer (and soprano soloist) Mozhgan Chahian Boroojeni. Dr. Clara Yang (on the faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill) will perform Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, which the composer wrote for his son, Maxim Shostakovich.
In keeping with the theme, Maestro Curry will reflect on the power of creative freedom in oppressive times and speak of his friendship with Maxim Shostakovich (the conductor who hired him at the New Orleans Symphony).
Ticket Information*:
● Adult Tickets: $35
● Military (Active Duty, Retired, Veterans): $30
● Student Tickets with ID: $10
● Children 12 and Under: Free
*Plus taxes and fees
About the Durham Symphony
Founded in 1976 as one of the Triangle’s first community orchestras, the Durham Symphony Orchestra (DSO), has evolved into an auditioned professional group offering affordably priced or free concerts in a wide variety of community spaces. Concert programs range from Baroque to contemporary plus the best of Broadway, Jazz, and Hollywood selections. The orchestra regularly features works by American composers, composers of color, and women plus a diverse array of guest artists. The DSO has presented many premieres by gifted local and regional composers. Educational and mentorship programs are also vital to its work. The DSO performs often with young musicians and is committed to demonstrating that the joy of orchestral music belongs to everyone as a natural part of community life.
In 2009, conductor/composer William Henry Curry was named Music Director of the DSO, becoming the first African American music director of a symphony in the South and greatly enriching the DSO mission with his exceptional experience in education, outreach, and diverse programming. He was already well known and appreciated throughout our state and far beyond. For 20 years, Maestro Curry was Resident Conductor and Summerfest Artistic Director of the North Carolina Symphony. His engagements have also included the Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Detroit, and Atlanta Symphonies as well as the Israel Chamber Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Thailand, and the National Orchestra of Taiwan. Mr. Curry has held Resident Conductor posts with the Baltimore Symphony, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra and has served as Associate Conductor of the Indianapolis and Atlanta Symphonies. His Eulogy for a Dream, a work for speaker and orchestra using excerpts from the speeches of Martin Luther King, was suggested to him by King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, and has been performed by orchestras around the world.
Here in Durham, Maestro Curry has delivered from the first on his commitment to make great orchestral music accessible to all—showcasing the classics while celebrating our diverse community and the eclecticism of American music itself. In 2024, he was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the board of the North Carolina Arts Council and received an honorary doctorate from UNC-Greensboro. And in November 2024, he was honored with our state’s highest civilian award, the North Carolina Award, for his extraordinary contributions to the state and nation in the field of Fine Arts.
About This Event
The DSO opens its season with a tribute to the constitutional freedom of speech in the U.S. and the power of artistic freedom throughout history. Nationally recognized gospel singer and performing historian Mary D. Williams (a native of Raleigh) will open each half of the program, offering unaccompanied versions of “We Shall Overcome” and “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around.” Orchestral repertoire will include Morton Gould’s “Hymnal,” from American Ballads, Verdi’s Overture to Nabucco, and two movements from Bill Robinson’s Symphony No. 3: Protest Poems: “2. Father Stalin, Look at This” and 3. “Political Theology.” Also featured will be the internationally acclaimed work Elegy for Peace by composer (and soprano soloist) Mozhgan Chahian Boroojeni. Dr. Clara Yang (on the faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill) will perform Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2, which the composer wrote for his son, Maxim Shostakovich.
In keeping with the theme, Maestro Curry will reflect on the power of creative freedom in oppressive times and speak of his friendship with Maxim Shostakovich (the conductor who hired him at the New Orleans Symphony).
Ticket Information*:
● Adult Tickets: $35
● Military (Active Duty, Retired, Veterans): $30
● Student Tickets with ID: $10
● Children 12 and Under: Free
*Plus taxes and fees
About the Durham Symphony
Founded in 1976 as one of the Triangle’s first community orchestras, the Durham Symphony Orchestra (DSO), has evolved into an auditioned professional group offering affordably priced or free concerts in a wide variety of community spaces. Concert programs range from Baroque to contemporary plus the best of Broadway, Jazz, and Hollywood selections. The orchestra regularly features works by American composers, composers of color, and women plus a diverse array of guest artists. The DSO has presented many premieres by gifted local and regional composers. Educational and mentorship programs are also vital to its work. The DSO performs often with young musicians and is committed to demonstrating that the joy of orchestral music belongs to everyone as a natural part of community life.
In 2009, conductor/composer William Henry Curry was named Music Director of the DSO, becoming the first African American music director of a symphony in the South and greatly enriching the DSO mission with his exceptional experience in education, outreach, and diverse programming. He was already well known and appreciated throughout our state and far beyond. For 20 years, Maestro Curry was Resident Conductor and Summerfest Artistic Director of the North Carolina Symphony. His engagements have also included the Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Detroit, and Atlanta Symphonies as well as the Israel Chamber Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Thailand, and the National Orchestra of Taiwan. Mr. Curry has held Resident Conductor posts with the Baltimore Symphony, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra and has served as Associate Conductor of the Indianapolis and Atlanta Symphonies. His Eulogy for a Dream, a work for speaker and orchestra using excerpts from the speeches of Martin Luther King, was suggested to him by King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, and has been performed by orchestras around the world.
Here in Durham, Maestro Curry has delivered from the first on his commitment to make great orchestral music accessible to all—showcasing the classics while celebrating our diverse community and the eclecticism of American music itself. In 2024, he was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the board of the North Carolina Arts Council and received an honorary doctorate from UNC-Greensboro. And in November 2024, he was honored with our state’s highest civilian award, the North Carolina Award, for his extraordinary contributions to the state and nation in the field of Fine Arts.