Litha Symphony Orchestra: Love Letters
$20
- Branson Yeast, cello
- Alex Wen, conductor
Maurice Ravel — Pavane pour une infante défunte ("Pavane for a Dead Princess")
Howard Hanson — Symphony No. 2 in D-flat major, Op. 30, W. 45 "Romantic"
A great love, divided by distance, this concert is all about sharing a bond that can traverse the globe. Immerse yourself in the tender sentiments as we bring to life an array of exquisite compositions. Each piece is a heartfelt Love Letter penned by a brilliant composer who sought to express the indescribable magic of love.
Join us for our second installment of Summer Romance – a symphonic celebration that spans oceans and eras – as we pay homage to the enduring legacy of love that bridges continents. Be swept away by a mesmerizing performance where music becomes a vessel for expressions, and where love's eloquence knows no limits. Secure your place for this unforgettable evening, and let the music be your guide on this epic voyage of love and passion!
Doors open at 6:30, concert begins at 7pm.
About Litha Symphony Orchestra
Through invigorating interpretations from the symphonic literature, as well as arrangements of works realized anew, Litha Symphony Orchestra is committed to bringing the excitement and energy of summer to its audiences and musicians alike.
Litha Symphony Orchestra was founded in early 2012 by a group of musicians who wanted to create an outlet for performing classical orchestral music in the New York metropolitan area during the summer, which is traditionally the off-season for most orchestras. As the full orchestra performs mostly during the summer season, the orchestra decided to use the name "Litha" – the celebration of the summer solstice – as the signature name for the organization.
About Branson Yeast, cello
American cellist Branson Yeast is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School. His performances as a chamber musician, soloist, and orchestral musician have brought him to Chicago, London, Lucerne, Hamburg, Heidelberg, St-Jean-de-Luz (broadcast on RadioFrance), and across the north-eastern United States.
While at Curtis, Branson was the last student of the late David Soyer of the Guarneri Quartet, a Jacqueline du Pré Memorial Fellow, and his graduation recital aired on WHYY Television. His passions for contemporary music and cross-disciplinary projects have also led him to make dozens of premieres of new works, including many chamber music and solo performances with ballet companies such as Philadelphia’s BalletX.
Branson was also a student of cellist Wendy Warner and was recently named Principal Cello of both Opera Philadelphia and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and with the latter of which he recently performed concerti of CPE Bach and Boccherini.
https://www.lithasymphony.org/branson-yeast.htmlAbout Alex Wen, conductor
Alex Wen most recently served as assistant conductor of the Massapequa Philharmonic and the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony under the mentorship of Maestro David Bernard, and concluded five seasons as Principal Conductor of the Golden Rose Opera. An avid opera conductor, Alex has led performances of La Bohème, Carmen, Suor Angelica, Cavalleria Rusticana, and Madama Butterfly with the Golden Rose Opera, and led the New York premiere of Huang Ruo’s Bound with Fresh Squeezed Opera in 2019. Alex has conducted performances with Rhymes With Opera, the Queens College Orchestra, Queens College Opera, Litha Symphony Orchestra, and the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, has cover conducted for the Queer Urban Orchestra, Yonkers Philharmonic, and the Sound Symphony, and has served as assistant conductor for the Celestial Opera Company in Los Angeles.
A graduate of the Masters program in Orchestral Conducting at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Alex studied with Maurice Peress and managed the Queens College Conductors Workshop collaborating with composers David Amram, Bruce Saylor, and George Tsontakis. Wen was selected as a participant in the 2019 Conductors Workshop of the Cabrillo Festival for Contemporary Music, where he worked with Cristian Măcelaru and Octavio Más-Arocas. Alex holds a Bachelor of Music in viola performance from Azusa Pacific University (APU), where he served as an assistant conductor to the APU Chamber Singers, responsible for preparing the orchestra for the National Collegiate Choral Organization’s national conference.
https://www.alexwenmusic.com/