February 22 7:00 pm
Run Time: 1 hour
All Ages
Art and music, as a language – an expression of the human experience – take many different forms. It may be a way to express the traditions unique to a particular culture. Or it can tell a story through the sonic realizations of a composer’s emotions. It can highlight and celebrate that which is wonderful in our world. Or it can bring awareness and attention to that which is not. Music cannot be separated from human life; if anything, it exists because of it. Curated and led by CCS Assistant Conductor and South African Composer Johannes Visser, this program explores the intersections between music and life and features an original composition by Visser.
Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances shimmer with life and excitement. It elevates and celebrates the dance traditions of the Transylvanian culture in which he grew up. Visser’s “A Winter’s Night in Palestine” considers life in Gaza in the broadly relatable context of winter but brings attention to the atrocious pain and suffering that has come from the short-sightedness of politics, divisiveness, and genuine evil. Walker’s Lyric for Strings is a moving expression of his feelings and emotions when he thinks about his grandmother’s life in slavery. Finally, Elgar’s Enigma Variations celebrates the beauty and joy that can come from human interaction and the profound impact that people can have on one another’s lives.
Based at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in the H Street Corridor, Capital City Symphony (CCS) serves both audience members and orchestra members. By engaging with CCS, our audience members support our musicians, hear high-quality live music at a reasonable price, and enjoy our concerts in a fun, intimate environment. Our orchestra members volunteer with our orchestra in order to have the opportunity to engage with the joy of symphonic music-making. CCS draws over 80 orchestra members annually from Washington, D.C.’s unique pool of talented amateur musicians – many of whom have extensive training through the college or conservatory level – providing them with an opportunity to reconnect with their passion for music-making. Under the leadership of Artistic Director and Conductor Victoria Gau, the orchestra performs fun, challenging, and exciting repertoire from the 18th century to today!
Johannes Visser- Winner of the Jan Royce Foundation Prize and the Peter Klatzow prize for Best Symphonic Composition, Johannes Visser received his Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and Piano Summa Cum Laude and completed his Master of Music Composition degree on the highly prestigious Bomhard Fellowship. He has also obtained an intensive Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Contemporary Art Music Composition at the University of Maryland. Recently, Johannes, had a variety of notable composition premieres including performances of drie gedigte oor plekke by Alarm Will Sound, vlug 295 by the JACK quartet, and prelude vir koperblaaskwintet by Barclay Brass.
Johannes’ endeavours in orchestral conducting strives for a well-rounded exposure to orchestral literature, with a careful balance between standard repertoire and contemporary music. Furthermore, Johannes’ undiluted energy and expressive conducting language offer a unique and refreshing take on modern conducting. He recently attended the Pierre Monteux festival for conductors and instrumentalists and had the opportunity to conduct the premiere reading of his new orchestral work vyf afrikaanse danse with the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra.
In his acoustic compositions, Johannes is focusing on vocal and orchestral writing. His South African heritage plays a significant role in his compositions as it is important for him to express his cultural identity through music. Additionally, Johannes’ research in electronic and experimental music delves into the world of computer-assisted sound generation and processing as well as noise-based, improvisatory, and conceptual sound art creation.