In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of our great U.S. Presidents, the WVU Symphony Orchestra will perform “Lincoln Portrait” by Aaron Copland, during a concert at the Creative Arts Center, Thursday, Nov. 19.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre, under the baton of Maestro Mitchell Arnold, director of Orchestral Studies at WVU.

WVU music history professor Christopher Wilkinson will join the Orchestra as the speaker on the Copland’s moving war-time work.

In addition, Chinese-born composer Chen Yi’s “Golden Flute” will be feature WVU flute professor Francesca Arnone.

“Chen has created a solo work of luminous virtuosity that builds to an epic climax,” Arnold commented. “Her enticing manipulation of orchestra colors and her natural feel for the Chinese inspired flute-writing make this more than simply an important new concerto, but one of great appeal.”

Also included in the program is a short memorial piece, “For the Fallen,” by the important American composer Bernard Herrmann, known primarily for his wonderful scores for such significant films as “Citizen Kane,” “Psycho,” “Vertigo” and “Taxi Driver.”

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s alternately exotic and grand “Introduction” and “Wedding Procession” from his opera “The Golden Cockerel” will close the concert.

The evening opens with an overture to the tragic opera “Olympie” by Joseph Martin Kraus, a contemporary of Mozart. It will be conducted by graduate assistant conductor Alejandro Pinzon.

For concert tickets and information, call the WVU Box Office at (304) 293-SHOW.

-WVU-

College of Creative Arts on the Web – http://www.ccarts.wvu.edu/
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CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4841 ext. 3108, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu