Idaho State-Civic Symphony to open ‘A Storied Season’ with ‘Americana Stories’ on Sept. 20
September 5, 2019

Season kicks off with a pre-concert “Symphony Tailgate”
POCATELLO 鈥 The Idaho State-Civic Symphony will open its 2019-2020 鈥淪toried Season鈥 on Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the 色花堂app Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the Stephens Performing Arts Center.
There is also a pre-concert "Symphony Tailgate" beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The concert鈥檚 program, 鈥淎mericana Stories,鈥 will feature composers inspired by the American experience, and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.
This concert features the trailblazing Florence Price's 鈥淪ymphony 鈥∟o. 3,鈥 a piece that was commissioned by the Works Progress Administration's Federal Music Project during the height of the Great Depression. Price was the first African-Amerian woman to have a piece performed by a major American orchestra.
The program also features Grant Still鈥檚 鈥淎fro-American Symphony,鈥 the first symphony written by an African-American man that was performed by an orchestra. Still鈥檚 and Florence Price鈥檚 legacies are remarkable 鈥渂oth for the barriers they broke and the inventive works they wrote.鈥
Also on the program is the world premiere of 鈥淭ranscend鈥 by composer Zhou Tian, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. This piece was commissioned by 13 American orchestras 鈥 located along the route of the Railroad 鈥 that have premiered this new work across the country. The Grammy-nominated Chinese-American composer wanted to capture the 鈥渃ontribution of thousands of strong Chinese and Irish work[ers] who toiled in severe weather and cruel conditions. . . and who perished鈥 in the process. The piece also celebrates 鈥渢hose who stayed [and] brought traditional art and music into the fabric of American culture.鈥
Tickets are $13-$40 and are available online at or by calling the ISU Box Office at (208) 282-3595.
Audience members are also invited to kick off the symphony鈥檚 new season with a pre-concert 鈥淪ymphony Tailgate鈥 at 5:30 p.m. in the foyer of the Stephens Performing Arts Center. Participants can join all the symphony鈥檚 鈥渟uper-fans鈥 for a barbeque, live music by Red Hill Junction Jazz and cheer on the orchestra before the concert. 鈥淪ymphony Tailgate鈥 tickets are $25. Reservations must be made in advance through the symphony office at 208-234-1587 or .
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