Event | UVA Arts

BERNSTEIN Overture to West Side Story; D’EARTH Concerto for Quintet and Orchestra; MITCHELL Flight for Freedom; BURTNER Threnody; ARMSTRONG “Creation”, “Embryo”, “Birth”; RAVEL Boléro, arr. ROUS

BENJAMIN ROUS, conductor

NICOLE MITCHELL, flute

JOVIA ARMSTRONG, percussion

FREE BRIDGE QUINTET

BERNSTEIN Overture to West Side Story (1957)

D’EARTH Concerto for Quintet and Orchestra (2006)

MITCHELL Flight for Freedom (2011)

BURTNER Threnody (2015)

ARMSTRONG “Creation”, “Embryo”, “Birth” (2021)

RAVEL Boléro, arr. Rous (1928/2024)

“West Side Story” was inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The overture sets the stage for a timeless story of forbidden love and the rivalry between two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds, the Jets and the Sharks.

One of Ravel’s most colorful orchestral works, the hypnotic, ever-expanding theme builds to a volcanic climax. Charlottesville Symphony Music Director Benjamin Rous has created a special arrangement for the full orchestra and all of the guest artists appearing on the program.

These audience favorites bookend works by three by versatile UVA composers and teaching artists: John D’earth’s Concerto for Quintet and Orchestra featuring the Free Bridge Quintet; Matthew Burtner's Threnody; Nicole Mitchell’s Flight for Freedom; and Benjamin Rous’s orchestral arrangement of JoVia Armstrong’s “Creation”, “Embryo” and “Birth”.