Westside Community & Youth Orchestra: Celebrating Women Composers
Free
- Collin Heade, conductor
Amy Beach — Symphony in E minor, Op. 32 "Gaelic" ("II. Alla siciliana – allegro vivace")
Julie Giroux — The Big Blue Marble
Florence Price — Symphony No. 1 in E minor ("III. Juba")
Florence Price — The Old Boatman
Ethel Smyth — Overture to The Wreckers
The program centers on all women composers, including two pieces by Florence Price, first African-American woman to have a piece performed by a major American orchestra. We also include French composter. Cecile Chaminade, who was a victim of extreme prejudice against women composers in the early 1900s. Amy Beach had her Gaelic Symphony premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896. Julie Giroux is a contemporary artist who has composed everything from video game themes to full symphonies. Ethyl Smyth was not only a composer but also an ardent suffragette in the 1910s and 20s.
This is the first of the concert series the Westside Community & Youth Orchestra will present this year. All of our concerts are free and open to the public (donations are always appreciated).
The Orchestra is a nonprofit organization that features players from Western Washington County and includes members from age 8 to 80.
WCYO is led by Collin Heade.
Two performances:
- Friday, May 3, 7:30pm at Liberty High School
- Friday, May 10, 7:30pm at First Congregational Church