Sample Programs
Subscription Concerts
Lili Boulanger’s night
D’un matin de printemps (5’)
Soir sur la plaine orch. Yoann Combémorel (9’)
Faust et Hélène: episode lyrique d’après le second Faust de Gœthe (30’)
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D’un soir triste (10’)
Psaume 130 “du fond de l’abime” (24’)
Vieille prière bouddhique (10’)
Explore the world of Lili Boulanger during a unique night dedicated to one of the most brilliant and enigmatic composers of the early 20th century. Though her life was tragically short, Boulanger’s music continues to resonate with rare intensity and emotional depth.
The first half of the program delves into the works she composed when she became the first woman to win the Prix de Rome. Experience the newly released Durand edition of Faust et Hélène, which faithfully restores her original orchestration—unmodified by her sister after her death.
After the intermission, the focus shifts to her later works, revealing a more intimate and spiritual side of Boulanger. D’un soir triste, the powerful Psalm 130 – “Out of the Depths”, and the haunting Vieille prière bouddhique showcase her profound emotional range, reflecting a deep search for peace and transcendence.
In many ways, Boulanger appears to us as an angel fallen from the heavens—a “Mozart of the 20th century”—whose legacy transcends social barriers and advances women’s voices through the power of art.
America was already great
Joan Tower- Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No.3 (5’)
TJ Cole - Death of a poet (10’)
Teddy Abrams - Piano Concerto (35’)
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Copland - Symphony n°3 (42’)
This concert explores the vibrant landscape of American music, featuring both iconic and emerging voices.
The evening begins with Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 3, a powerful tribute to strength and individuality. TJ Cole’s Death of a Poet follows, a haunting reflection on life and legacy. Next, Teddy Abrams’ Piano Concerto, a dynamic work that blends modern rhythms with classical traditions, takes the spotlight.
After intermission, the program concludes with Copland’s Symphony No. 3, a sweeping, optimistic masterpiece that captures the spirit of America, including the iconic Fanfare for the Common Man.
A celebration of bold, transformative music by some of America’s most compelling composers.
Jean Sibelius - Finlandia (10’)
Golfam Khayam - Concerto for Viola and Santur (24’)
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Shostakovich - symphony 5 (50’)
In a time of global uncertainty and unrest, this concert offers a powerful reflection on resilience, heritage, and the human spirit.
We begin with Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia, a stirring anthem of national pride born from Finland’s struggle for independence, evoking the power of collective strength in times of adversity.
Next, Golfam Khayam’s Concerto for Viola and Santur bridges cultures and traditions, fusing the classical Western viola with the Persian santur to create a dialogue between East and West—an invitation to find harmony amidst the divisions of our world.
The evening culminates with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, composed during a time of intense political repression, yet filled with defiance and hidden protest. This symphony speaks to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming pressure, much like the struggles we witness around the world today.
This program serves as a poignant reminder of how music can reflect the turmoil of our times while offering a glimpse of hope, unity, and strength.
Educational Concerts (less than 50 minutes)
Nathaniel Stookey’s The Composer Is Dead, with text by the brilliant Lemony Snicket, is more than just a piece of music—it’s an adventure into the heart of the orchestra. Blending humor, mystery, and education, this work introduces audiences to the instruments and their unique roles while keeping them entertained with a witty and engaging detective story.
At a time when classical music can sometimes feel distant to younger generations, The Composer Is Dead makes it accessible, fun, and immersive. Through its theatrical narration and dynamic orchestration, it transforms the concert hall into a crime scene where every musician is a suspect. Who killed the composer? The strings? The brass? Or perhaps the percussion?
The audience becomes part of the investigation through a unique interactive presentation of the instruments and a Q&A session with the children, discovering the magic of orchestral music along the way.
This piece sparks curiosity, encourages active listening, and proves that orchestras have plenty of life—despite the composer’s unfortunate fate!
George Gershwin - An American in Paris
Gershwin’s An American in Paris is a musical postcard, capturing the energy of the city with jazz-infused melodies and colorful orchestration. From honking taxi horns to a postman’s bicycle, every sound brings the streets of Paris to life.
In this concert, we break down together the orchestration, helping audiences identify these details and imagine the scene. It’s also an opportunity to explore jazz’s influence on classical music, tracing its roots and highlighting Gershwin’s mentors, like Nadia Boulanger.
By listening, analyzing, and imagining before the full performance, we discover how music becomes storytelling. As the orchestra plays, what scenes will you picture?
Pictures at YOUR Exhibition !
Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, later orchestrated by Maurice Ravel and Sergei Petrovich Gorchakov, is a masterpiece that transforms paintings into music. Inspired by the artwork of his late friend Viktor Hartmann, Mussorgsky composed a series of musical “pictures,” each capturing the essence of a different scene—from a mysterious castle to lively market stalls, and even a hut standing on chicken legs!
For this special educational concert, our journey begins in the classroom, where the children first discover the original piano version. Before experiencing the full orchestral brilliance, they are invited to connect with the music in a personal way: by choosing one of the “pictures” and illustrating it themselves. Their artworks will then be displayed in the concert hall and projected on a large screen when the corresponding music is played, turning the performance into a shared creative experience.
By actively participating in this process—listening, imagining, and creating—the children develop a deeper connection with the music. They become artists themselves, showing that music and visual art go hand in hand in inspiring the imagination. Let the music guide us through their very own exhibition!
Engaging the audience
Dvorak - excerpts from the symphony n°9
Stravinsky - Danse sacrale from the rite of spring
Haydn - last movement of symphony 45
Beethoven - Excerpt from the symphony 5
Tchaikovsky - Excerpt from the Symphony n 6
Strauss - Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra
Virtual reality concert
This project is based on the virtual game “maestro VR” that offers an experience of conducting a full orchestra through virtual reality. The idea is to do exactly the same, with a full orchestra in live, earring and seeing from the real conductor perspective with an orchestra live! The people with the best point get to conduct the real orchestra at the end! This project aims to connect and engage with different communities and bring a new public not in touch with classical concert through a game, and bringing awareness and explanation about a real conductor’s job.
Olivier Messiaen - Couleurs de la cité Céleste (18’)
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Anton Bruckner - Symphony in E major n°7 (80’)
This concert takes us on a profound spiritual journey, beginning with an understanding of Olivier Messiaen’s genius inspired by birds, colors, and religion. By collecting recordings and images of the birds Messiaen transcribed, we will play their actual calls and compare them to his musical representation, highlighting his accuracy. For the sections evoking colors, we will invite the audience to imagine colors and shapes based on what they hear, then replay the excerpt with live lighting corresponding to Messiaen’s synesthetic vision, using his descriptions from his scores and through an important analyze of his writings. Regarding Gregorian chant, we will present/sing an original chant and compare it to how Messiaen transformed it in his music using his signature augmented fourth interval.
After the intermission, we are transported by Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in E major, a monumental work of spiritual depth and grandeur. As we move through the vast soundscapes Bruckner creates, we find ourselves embraced by the celestial world Messiaen envisioned, allowing the music to carry us into its heavenly realm.
Fanny Mendelssohn - Overture in C (9’)
Clara Schumann - Piano Concert, op. 7 (23)’
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Jessie Montgomery - Hymn for Everyone (11’)
Florence Price - Symphony n°1 (38’)
This program honors four extraordinary women who, across different centuries and continents, broke barriers and reshaped the classical music world.
From Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann—19th-century pioneers who composed with brilliance despite social constraints—to Florence Price, the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major U.S. orchestra, and Jessie Montgomery, a powerful voice of our time, each composer speaks with urgency, depth, and individuality.
Their music tells a story of courage, creativity, and the enduring power of women’s voices in art.