Boston University Symphony Orchestra

Boston University School of Music presents Boston University Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Sarah Ioannides, in Tsai Performance Center on Friday, October 3, 2025 in a free event. This dynamic program explores vivid storytelling and emotional richness through two landmark orchestral works. Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune opens with dreamy sensuality, evoking the hazy world of myth and imagination through lush harmonies and fluid, shifting textures. Inspired by a poem by Mallarmé, the piece captures the languid desires and fleeting visions of a faun in the heat of the afternoon. Stravinsky’s Petrouchka bursts with color and rhythmic vitality, telling the story of a puppet who longs for life and love amid the chaos of a bustling Russian fair. With its brilliant orchestration and dramatic contrasts, the ballet blends folk melodies, satire, and pathos into a vibrant, emotionally charged tour de force. Sandwiched between Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture offers a witty and exuberant salute to student life, weaving together traditional college songs in a richly orchestrated and impressive orchestral showcase. Valerie Coleman's Seven O’Clock Shout is a vibrant, heartfelt tribute to frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, blending African American musical traditions with powerful rhythms and spoken word.

Sarah Ioannides, conductor

Repertoire:

• Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune

• Brahms: Academic Festival Overture

• Stravinsky: Petrouchka (1947)

• Coleman (BUTI'89, CFA'95) Seven O’Clock Shout

This event is free and open to the public.