Tim Corpus. Photo by Elliott Mandel.
In Friday’s (3/13) News-Gazette (Central Illinois), Jennifer Bailey writes, “Saturday’s Danville Symphony Orchestra concert, titled ‘Celebration,’ will feature selections that pay tribute to Vermilion County and its history … The concert … will feature the world premiere of ‘Where the Rivers Meet,’ a piece the orchestra commissioned last year from Illinois-based composer Tim Corpus to highlight the essence of the county. The News-Gazette sat down with the Filipino American composer, whose music has been performed at Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre and the Kennedy Center … Tim Corpus: When the bicentennial planning committee approached the Danville Symphony Orchestra regarding Vermilion County’s 200th anniversary, it sparked a conversation on how the orchestra … could best honor the theme ‘200 Years of New Frontiers.’ Music Director Matthew Sheppard and the orchestra leadership determined that a new commission and world premiere would be a great way to contribute…. As an Illinois-based composer, I am deeply honored to compose a new work that celebrates both this historic landmark and the stellar talent of the Danville symphony…. The title comes from the idea of Danville being a place where the Vermilion River and the forks meet … I wrote four musical themes to represent the cardinal directions of the region and during the piece all of the themes converge.”
