The Albany Symphony Orchestra and Music Director David Alan Miller, prior to the pandemic.
“The Albany Symphony Orchestra’s annual American Music Festival, which begins today and runs through Sunday, is different from previous years,” writes Geraldine Freedman in Wednesday’s (6/9) Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY). “ ‘It’s an amazing first experience post-pandemic and all events are free,’… said music director David Alan Miller. The four-day event kicks off with composer Christopher Theofanidis giving a composers’ workshop to 10 to 12 student composers about their compositions that the orchestra will later perform on Sunday…. On Friday, the Dogs of Desire [will perform works by] Jack Frerer, Bobby Ge, Tom Morrison, Kerwin Young, and … Carolyn Yarnell and Ted Hearne…. On Saturday the orchestra takes over. The size of the group will be about 45 members…. Two guitarists from the L.A. Guitar Quartet … will perform Clarice Assad’s double guitar concerto called ‘Folk Tales.’ Also on the bill is Nina Shekhar’s world premiere of ‘Above the Fray’ [and] Alexis Lamb’s world premiere of ‘Serotiny.’ … Theofanidis and Molly Joyce collaborated in the world premiere of a re-working of Joyce’s songs…. On June 12, Lamb will lead a family activity at the Pine Hollow Arboretum.” Festival concerts will be offered in-person for subscribers and as free livestreams on the orchestra’s website.
