Still's Symphony No. 1 "Afro-American": UMD Symphony Orchestra

The UMD Symphony Orchestra opens its 2024-25 season with William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American,” the first symphony composed by an African American to be performed by a major orchestra when it premiered in 1931. This remarkable piece is a love letter to blues and Black culture, showcasing Still’s vision to elevate the blues, which he felt was often considered a "lowly" expression, to the highest musical level. By masterfully integrating blues progressions and rhythms with traditional symphonic forms, Still created a symphony that resonates with profound emotion and cultural significance.

Also on the program are Hector Berlioz’s Le carnaval romain (Roman Carnival Overture), a rip-roaring overture synthesized from a short-lived opera based on the life of Renaissance artist Benvenuto Cellini, and Emmanuel Séjourné’s Concerto for Marimba and Strings, an energetic two-movement work featuring the School of Music’s 2023 Concerto Competition Winner Robert Rocheteau D.M.A. ‘24.