Bonds, Margaret – Montgomery Variations
Beethoven, Ludwig van – Symphony No. 9

Special guests:
Brianna J. Robinson, soprano
Britt Brown, alto
Albert Lee, tenor
Kevin Deas, bass
The Worcester Chorus of Music Worcester – Chris Shepard, Conductor

Beethoven’s “Ninth” is always a momentous event, so we’re thrilled to present two performances of this beloved piece. Known as “Ode to Joy” because of the familiar theme in the symphony’s fourth movement, it’s the first symphony to incorporate vocal soloists and chorus into what was previously a purely instrumental genre. We’re delighted to welcome the acclaimed Worcester Chorus of Music Worcester to our stage along with four outstanding soloists to bring this monumental yet ethereal composition to life. But first, our program opens with an important work by Margaret Bonds, noted as one of the first Black composers and performers to gain recognition in the United States. Written in 1964 after the composer’s visit to Montgomery, Alabama, the Montgomery Variations fervently examines seminal events from the civil-rights movement.