Join us for a concert of truly stirring music. This November Lake Forest Civic Orchestra explores works inspired by our right to vote through the works of four composers from various points in history.    

 

The Lake Forest Civic Orchestra celebrates the ratification of the 19th amendment with an all-American program entitled “The Battle for the Ballot.” A Time to Vote by Gwyneth Walker will receive its Midwest premiere, and will be paired with The Battle for the Ballot by Chicago-based Stacey Garrop. Both works are built around quotes from famous suffragettes and Garrop’s piece, written in the summer of 2020, features quotes by famous black suffragettes as well, a nod to racial tensions then and now.

 

These 2 works are bookended by pieces by African-American composers. Strum by Chicago Symphony Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery opens the program by blending pop and jazz styles into a work for string orchestra. We end with Symphony No. 1 in e minor by Florence Price. Premiered by the Chicago Symphony in 1933, Symphony No. 1 draws on American and African-American folk styles in a work that is reminiscent of Dvorák’s famous New World Symphony.

 

Our program:

A Time to Vote - Walker

The Battle for the Ballot - Garrop

Strum - Montgomery

Symphony No. 1 in e minor - Price

Special pre-concert talk with composer Stacy Garrop - 3pm