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!