In March 2023, Interlochen Arts Academy students traveled to New York to perform in David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center.
On March 3, the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra student musicians performed alongside musicians from the New York Philharmonic in a program of music by four living Black composers: Valerie Coleman, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Mary Watkins and John Wineglass.
That concert was conducted by Interlochen's own Leslie B. Dunner.
The orchestra's performance was part of a concert called मुक्ति : MUKTI that also featured the world premiere of a multimedia work created by Interlochen Arts Academy students.
In addition, on March 2 and 4, Dunner led the New York Philharmonic musicians in their own separate program of music by Black composers.
Called "The March to Liberation," that concert featured the world premiere of "Gathering Song," a piece by Courtney Bryan and Tazewell Thompson commissioned by the New York Philharmonic. The program also included William Grant Still's Symphony no. 2 and Adolphus Hailstork's oratorio "Done Made My Vow."
This was the first program of music by all Black composers that the New York Philharmonic had given in over 40 years.
Hear Leslie Dunner conduct the New York Philharmonic on the orchestra's weekly radio program this week.
"The New York Philharmonic This Week" airs at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 3 on Classical IPR.
Due to rights restrictions, the New York Philharmonic and Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra side-by-side concert performance is not available on demand and can only be heard via IPR's broadcast.
Click HERE for more information about how to hear Classical IPR wherever you are.
The intermission feature about the मुक्ति : MUKTI program is available on demand below.
The feature included the speaking voices of Interlochen Arts Academy students Sam Hicks, Marlene Schwier, Polo Ongoru and Tendekai Mawokomatanda and Interlochen Arts Academy faculty member Gulshirin Dubash.
Musicians include Imani Makasa, Clara Devey, Gigi Kriegsman, Lila Holler, Marcela Weltsek-Medine, Sam Hicks, Logan Moore, Mason Bryant, Emily Baird and Dario Allais, as well as the entire Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra and members of the New York Philharmonic.
Seth Bousted produced this feature.
Thanks to Mark Travis and Courtney Kaiser-Sandler for additional support.
