An article in Friday’s (11/16) Idaho Statesman (Boise) reads, “When Boise Philharmonic music director Robert Franz was asked to come up with an idea to commemorate Boise’s sesquicentennial celebration, his first thought was, ‘What was happening here 151 years ago?’ ‘Being new here,’ he says, ‘I was curious about what had come before.’ That simple question led Franz to discover the history of the Shoshone-Bannock tribes, and how they once flourished in the Boise Valley but were forcibly relocated to eastern Idaho in the 1860s. ‘It seemed poignant to remind people about this history at this time,’ Franz says. … Franz commissioned Idaho composer Jim Cockey to write a piece for chorus, percussion, harp, woodwinds, strings and dance, inspired by the Sho-Ban Indian culture and history. Cockey’s ‘Sacred Land’ will make its world premiere this weekend in two Boise Philharmonic concerts that will feature the orchestra’s 110-member Master Chorale and choreography by Ballet Idaho’s Alex Ossadnik. … Cockey immersed himself in the Sho-Ban culture for his inspiration. He worked with members of the tribe, who gave him a crash course in Native American music and history.” To read more on the Boise Philharmonic’s project on SymphonyNOW, click here.
Posted November 20, 2012
