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PHOTO CAPTION: Top row, left to right: Tona Brown, Laura Kaminsky, Wei Zhao, Dana Kaufman; Bottom row, left to right: Aldo Abreu, Rahz\u00e9 Cheatham, Joseph Brent, Orlando Cela.<\/em><\/p>\n
In following with its mission of promoting new music and educating about established works, the Lowell Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Orlando Cela, will be presenting six entirely free concerts showcasing, among other things, seven works by living composers, six soloists, a wide variety of genres, and many well-known works, encompassing over 300 years of musical development<\/p>\n
In order to promote the creation of new classical music, the LCO has commissioned composer Dana Kaufman for a brand new work. Kaufman, known for her masterful ability to blur the lines between classical and pop cultures, is the ideal creator for a work that intersects the styles of Baroque styles and contemporary music.<\/p>\n
The season opens with another world premiere: Micah Roberts\u2019 \u201cHypernovae,\u201d a fantastic overture inspired by the cosmos, which also marks the conclusion of the LCO\u2019s first ever call-for-scores. Roberts\u2019 score was selected from over 120 compositions, which came from 9 different countries. Other featured living composers include Anna Clyne, Arnold Friedman, Mark Berger, Karl Henning, and Lowell\u2019s own Aaron Rosenberg.<\/p>\n
The highlight of the season also features the work of well-known living composer, Laura Kaminsky. As One – the most produced opera in North America in the last eight years – is a timely and soul-stirring chamber work about the challenges, fears, and joys of its transgender protagonist. With a poignant and witty libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed and film by Ms. Reed, As One is an unforgettable experience.\u00a0And the LCO production of the opera is a special event: with singers Tona Brown and Rahz\u00e9 Cheatham, it marks the first time a gender-expansive cast has performed the work.<\/p>\n
Brown and Chatham are also two of the few soloists featured this season. Well-known works by Mozart and Shostakovich – featuring flutist Wei Zhao and pianist Pei-Yeh Tsai, respectively – will interweave with compositions that feature surprising instruments: Joseph Brent highlights the mandolin in Anna Clyne\u2019s mystical concerto, and Aldo Abreu epitomizes the subtle \u00e9clatthe recorder.<\/p>\n
Finally, the LCO also preserves and educates about the classical musical traditions, and for that purpose, well-known masterpieces such as Mozart\u2019s Symphony No. 41 \u201cJupiter,\u201d Prokofiev\u2019s Symphony No. 1 \u201cClassical,\u201d and Vaughan Williams\u2019 \u201cFantasy on a Theme by Thomas Tallis\u201d can be heard in different venues across Lowell in the upcoming season.<\/p>\n