Summer at Orchestra Hall

Join me as we dive into one of music’s most transformative decades—the Roaring Twenties.

The years following the First World War produced immense cultural transformation and significant artistic innovation. Composers sought to find new forms of musical expression—and jazz was at the center. I’m thrilled to perform works by Ravel and Gershwin, two prolific composers inspired by jazz. Plus, you’ll hear works written for ballets and operas that illustrate the genre’s enduring influence on orchestral music. Our festival wraps up with An American in Paris, the 1951 American film inspired by Gershwin’s symphonic poem of the same name. You won’t want to miss it! 

~ Jon Kimura Parker