Williamsburg Symphony to Close 40th Season with Homage to Native American Culture

In Saturday’s (5/10) Daily Press (Norfolk, Virginia), James W. Robinson writes, “The Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra closes out its 40th anniversary season next week with a tribute to Native American culture. The Wednesday night performance will feature world-renowned Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai … The three-segment concert will feature Nakai performing ‘Inner Voices’ and ‘Kokopelli Wind,’ as well as his rendition of ‘Amazing Grace.’ The Leah Glenn Dance Theatre will perform to the world premiere of Grammy-nominated composer Dawn Avery’s new piece: ‘Secrets: Remembering the Brafferton Indian School.’… The Symphony will close the show with Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.’ An aspect of the piece was Dvořák’s interest in representing Native American music influences as he understood them in the late 19th century, according to WSO music director Michael Butterman. Butterman called it an honor to work with Nakai … The dance company, meanwhile, will perform to a piece of original music about the Brafferton Indian School, an 18th century school [in Virginia] … While working on residential school healing with her tribe [Mohawk], as well as with the Haudenosaunee tribe in Ontario, Canada, Avery said she became interested in Brafferton due to a lack of awareness of Native American schools in the U.S. The composition’s title refers to the secrets of the school due to the time period, while honoring the students who studied there.”