Well, I hadn’t intended to head in to New York today, but I can’t resist this program: the world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork’s Symphony No. 4, alongside Zhou Tian, composer’s spectacular Concerto for Orchestra and Jennifer Higdon’s flute concerto “The Light We Can Hear,” with Valerie Coleman the soloist. As an added bonus: only the second performance ever of John Thomas Douglass’ “The Pilgrim: Grand Overture.”

Douglass, a highly-regarded violinist, was the first Black American to write an opera (“Virginia’s Ball” in 1868). He settled in New York in the 1880s. Among his pupils was David Mannes, later concertmaster of the New York Symphony Orchestra, one of the root organizations that became the New York Philharmonic.

Mannes cofounded the Colored Music Settlement School in his teacher’s honor. He was also a founder of what is now known as the Mannes School of Music.

The Mannes Orchestra will be conducted by David Hayes, tonight at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center.

The price of a ticket (before disproportionate service charges)? $6.50. Sign me up!

For more information, follow the link:

https://lincolncenter.org/venue/alice-tully-hall/mannes-orchestra-douglass-zhou-higdon-and-hailstork?fbclid=IwAR2QFgDLirOYDi4Ge6hFJclLjlzblwNqB3Y2ZgOTiARO_M1vcAu8ILLQt28