This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
Spivey Hall, that regal bastion of music and culture on the Clayton State University campus, isn’t immune to a little humor with its classical offerings. As part of Spivey’s 2024-25 season, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain will be all virtuosity and fun on March 16, 2025. Be warned. The ensemble has been known to play Wagner and the Sex Pistols in the same concert.
Credit: Cedric Angeles
Credit: Cedric Angeles
On a more serious note, especially for New Orleanians who relocated to Atlanta after Hurricane Katrina, is “A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina).” Originally commissioned by director Spike Lee as a soundtrack to his HBO documentary film “When the Levees Broke: a Requiem in Four Acts,” this work paints a somber, haunting portrait of the aftermath of Katrina and its devastating impact on the citizens of New Orleans. The Grammy-winning album will be performed by its composer, Terence Blanchard, and his sextet on April 26, 2025.
On October 27, classical flutist Adam W. Sadberry, with pianist Nathan Cheung, will present a program of musical journalism, highlighting the story of his grandfather, Civil Rights journalist L. Alex Wilson. Wilson covered the murder of Emmett Till, the Montgomery bus boycott and the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Known for its spectacular organ, Spivey will also present organist David Briggs’ live improvisation to the 1925 silent film “The Phantom of the Opera.” That’s on November 1.
The season will include more traditional classical fare with some of the world’s most lauded musicians, including pianist Daniil Trifonov, the musician the Times of London hails as “the most astounding pianist of our age.” On October 13, the Grammy-winning Russian pianist will open the season with works by Tchaikovsky and Barber but also, most notably, selected waltzes by Chopin.
Chopin’s piano compositions are as lyrical and moving as they are technically demanding, a combination that has made his work a proving ground of sorts for classical pianists for nearly 200 years.
Credit: Photo by Dario Acosta
Credit: Photo by Dario Acosta
There can be little doubt that Trifonov will be able to handle the waltzes in question, but watching any performance of Chopin’s piano works feels like watching a high-wire act.
Other world class pianists performing at Spivey next season are Michelle Cann, Elisabeth Brauss and Jonathan Biss.
Soprano Renée Fleming seems to be everywhere these days, with multiple projects on and off the stage. She portrayed Pat Nixon in a new production of “Nixon in China” at the Opéra de Paris in 2022; is a prominent advocate for research at the intersection of arts, health and neuroscience; and this year has been promoting her most recent book. In April, she appeared in a concert with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Fleming will be on the Spivey stage on February 22, 2025, presenting pieces from her recent album “Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene.” Inspired by hikes near her Virginia home, “Voice of Nature” pairs Fleming with pianist Yannick Nézet-Séguin for a cycle of songs reflecting on the state of the natural world in light of the COVID lockdown.
For music lovers who can’t get enough of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble will give two performances at Spivey next season, one featuring ASO oboist Elizabeth Koch Tiscione (October 20) and the other highlighting the violin of concertmaster David Coucheron (January 11, 2025).
The much-loved a cappella group, the King’s Singers, will return to Spivey on November 17.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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