Stars & Space
Conductor: Kelly Corcoran
Saturday, January 20, 2024 – 7:30pm
Keppel Auditorium, Catawba College

Stars and Space features contemporary and classic works depicting the epic beauty and mystery of celestial bodies through orchestral music. Jessie Montgomery and Missy Mazzoli are two of the most important composers writing for orchestra today. Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst features “exploding gestures” and “gentle fleeting melodies” to depict newly formed stars, while Missy Mazzoli’s Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) is “music in the shape of a solar system” with twisting musical, orbiting loops. Holst’s The Planets leads listeners (and performers) through the powerful “astrological significance of the planets” with grand orchestral colors and even an invisible chorus of female voices. The Planets has impacted many composers and works, serving as inspiration for John Williams’ score to Star Wars, and often referenced in popular culture. This program promises to take you on an otherworldly sonic adventure!

Jessie Montgomery: Starburst for String Orchestra
Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)
Gustav Holst: The Planets