This special evening at Boston’s historic Symphony Hall, one of the world’s most renowned concert venues, features not just one, but three of Boston University’s ensembles: the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Symphonic Chorus.
2025 Program
Monday, March 31, 2025
7:30 pm
- Boston University Symphony Orchestra & Boston University Symphonic Chorus, led by conductor Daniel Parsley, perform Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms
- Boston University Wind Ensemble with conductor Kenneth Amis performs Rosner’s Symphony No.8 “Trinity”
- Boston University Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Sarah Ioannides, performs Strauss’ Rosenkavalier Suite and Ravel’s Daphnis & Chloe Suite No. 2 (with Choir)
Beginning the 2025 BU Symphony Hall concert program is the solemnly joyful Chichester Psalms written by Leonard Bernstein (1965). Bernstein took a sabbatical in 1965 from the New York Philharmonic after being heavily affected by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the loss of his close friend and composer, Marc Blitzstein. Instead of languishing, Bernstein wrote the Chichester Psalms with a hopeful outlook on life after much tragedy. Arnold Rosner wrote his Symphony no. 8 “Trinity” (1988) for band with the idea of viewing ideas, mysteries and thoughts from three different angles in an effort to “derive deeper insights or simply confusion…”
Following the intermission, we have the unique duality of romanticism at its height: Ravel, celebrating 150 years since his birth, and Strauss with a Suite from his fifth opera which captured the hearts of opera-lovers. Ravel’s Daphnis And Chloe Suite no. 2 (1912) is a story that revolves around the two pastoral lovers, Daphnis and Chloe, exploring the importance of melody and dance forms as Ravel was fascinated with both. Richard Strauss’ Rosenkavalier Suite (1911) is also heavily focused around dance, as Strauss wrote his opera Der Rosenkavalier with the idea of the waltzes from Mozart’s time. Strauss, like Ravel, used melody to depict stories and ideas, otherwise known as “leitmotifs.”
Ticket details available soon.
2024 Program
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) – Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Boston University Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Burton
Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977) – War – A Soldier’s Grave
Boston University Symphonic Chorus conducted by Daniel Parsley
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) – Dona nobis pacem
Symphony Orchestra & Symphonic Chorus conducted by James Burton
• Madeleine Lew, Soprano
• Libang Wang, Baritone
Edward Elgar (1857-1934) – Enigma Variations
Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Burton
BU Concert at Symphony Hall Capped the 150th Festivities for BU School of Music
The April 2023 concert showcased BU Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Chorus, and Wind Ensemble; saluted retiring Maestro David Martins; and was the bookend to BU School of Music’s 150th anniversary!