NCCO to Present Matinee at Presidio Theatre

Next month the New Century Chamber Orchestra (NCCO) will shift its venue from the Civic Center to the Presidio. The title of the program will be Hope Leads Appalachian Spring; and, as that title implies, Music Director Daniel Hope will return to lead as Concertmaster. The title refers to the suite Aaron Copland distilled from the music he composed for Martha Graham’s pioneering (double meaning intended) work of modern dance, “Appalachian Spring.” Readers may recall that, a month ago, Michael Tilson Thomas led the San Francisco Symphony in the complete score for Graham’s choreography. While only thirteen players were involved in the Graham premiere, Copland later provided a full-orchestra account of that version, which is less known than the concert suite that was specifically scored for full orchestra. More recently, there have been efforts to perform that suite with the original thirteen-instrument resources, which was the case on the recent Transatlantic release by the Berlin Academy of American Music.

NCCO guest soprano Leah Hawkins (photograph by Dario Acosta, courtesy of NCCO)

The program will also present the NCCO debut of soprano Leah Hawkins, who will perform a collection of vocal music associated with the Harlem Renaissance. The selections will include two songs by Florence Price, “We Have Tomorrow” and “Hold Fast to Dream,” William Grant Still’s Songs of Separation, “Come Sunday,” which Duke Ellington originally composed for his Black, Brown and Beige suite, and “Chloe’s Aria” from Harry Lawrence Freeman’s opera Voodoo. Composed in 1928, this was the first opera by an African-American to be presented on Broadway. Hope will be soloist in another Price composition, “Adoration,” which she scored for violin and strings. He will also begin the program by leading the strings in a performance of David Diamond’s “Rounds.”

This performance will begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 23. The Presidio Theatre is located on the grounds of the Presidio at 99 Moraga Avenue. Single tickets may be purchased through a City Box Office event page. Ticket prices are $30 (last five rear rows), $55 (far side seating and rows L through S), and $67.50 (prime central viewing).