Black American composer Nathalie Joachim's "Had To Be" will be featured in the South Florida Symphony Orchestra Masterworks III concerts Feb. 17-21 in honor of Black History Month. (Photo courtesy of Erin Patrice O'Brien.)
Marvin Glassman, Arts Writer
In honor of Black History Month, South Florida Symphony Orchestra will feature two compositions by Black composers in their next Masterworks III concerts on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Wednesday, Feb. 18 at The Parker in Ft. Lauderdale and Saturday, Feb. 21 at Tennessee Williams Theater in Key West.
“Four Black American Dances” by composer Carlos Simon will lead off the concert followed by Haitian American composer Nathalie Joachim’s “Had To Be” featuring cellist Seth Parker Woods to conclude the first part of the concert.
Following intermission, 18th century Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 titled “Haffner” will be performed followed by 19th century Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Capriccio Espagnol” to conclude the approximately 90 minute two act concert.
“What will be memorable is the combining of different eras for audiences to hear the foundation of classical music combined with the fresh sounds of today’s composers as we celebrate Black History Month,” said SFSO Music Director and Conductor Sebrina Maria Alfonso. Simon created “Four Black American Dances” as an orchestral expression of prominent Black dances.
“My composition features four specific dances that showcase the history of Black Americans,” said Simon.
“The first movement ‘Ring Shout’ reflects the era of slavery through dance music. The second movement ‘Waltz’ showcases the era of wealthy Black Americans in the 1920s and ’30s. The third movement ‘Taps’ is the prominent dance following World War II and the fourth movement is the joyous dancing that takes place in Black Christian churches.”
Cellist Seth Parker Woods is featured in composer Nathalie Joachim's "Had To Be" in the South Florida Symphony Orchestra Masterworks III concerts Feb. 17-21 in honor of Black History Month. (Photo courtesy of South Florida Symphony Orchestra)
The 14 minute “Four American Black Dances” will be performed by the SFSO with two bassoons, a bass trombone, two clarinets, two flutes, a harp, four horns, two trombones, two trumpets, a tuba, the following string instruments: cellos, double basses, violas and violins and the following percussion instruments: bells, cymbals, drums, marimba ,tam-tam, tamborine, triangle, whips and wood blocks.
Joachim composed “Had To Be” as a three movement cello concerto for Woods.. “Nathalie (Joachim), although she was born in the United States, has Haitian roots and her concerto incorporates so many different sounds, such as the music of The Caribbean as well as the sounds of New Orleans. It is an honor to perform ‘Had To Be’ for South Florida audiences,” said Woods.
“The concerto has three movements with a beautiful arc that the cellist and the orchestra go on that begins with an offstage band with melodic and rhythm excerpts that Nathalie had transcribed from a funeral march in Haiti. The music is similar to what is heard in marches in New Orleans, where I have creole roots. The music reflects our collective heritages and identities.”
“The second movement is loud and pulsating and the third movement features lush melodies as the sounds of the music begin to dissipate.”
“The concerto represents the perpetually colorful and complex intersections between class, gender, power, race and style. “‘Had To Be’ honors what it means to be Black and choosing to be free,” said Woods.
The 26 minute “Had To Be” concerto is performed with the cello, piano, snare drum, trombone, trumpet, tuba, vibraphone, viola and violin.
Mozart’s “Symphony No. 35” is also called “Haffner”as it was commissioned by the prominent Austrian Haffner family in 1782. The 20 minute composition is written in D Major, has four movements and is played using two bassoons, two clarinets, two flutes, two horns, two oboes, a timpani, two trumpets and various string instruments.
“Symphony No. 35 is a fiery and forceful work,” wrote Howard Posner of “Los Angeles Times” after seeing the Mozart composition performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 2023,.
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnel”is a 20 minute five movement orchestral suite, based on Spanish folk melodies and is considered as one of Rimsky-Korasov’s best compositions.
“Capricco Espagnol” is played with clarinet (also featured as a solo instrument), drums, flute, a harp and triangle duet, horns and violin (also featured as a solo instrument).
“‘Capricco Espagnol’ has different melodies, traditional Spanish dances and thrilling tempo changes that makes it intriguing to the audiences,” said Alfonso.
South Florida Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor Sebrina Maria Alfonso leads the SFSO Orchestra in the Masterworks III concerts Feb. 17-21 in honor of Black History Month. (Photo courtesy of South Florida Symphony Orchestra)
If You Go:
- WHAT: South Florida Symphony Orchestra presents Masterworks III concerts, featuring compositions by Black American composers (“Four Black American Dances” by Carlos Simon and “Had To Be” by Nathalie Joachim) in addition to “Haffner” by Wolgang Amadeus Mozart and "Capriccio Espagnol” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
- WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 17, Wednesday Feb. 18 and Saturday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
- WHERE: New World CENTER, 500 17th St. Miami Beach (Tuesday)
The Parker, 707 NE 8th St. Ft. Lauderdale (Wednesday)
Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 College Rd. Key West (Saturday)- TICKETS: $35-$145.
- INFORMATION: southfloridasymphony.org or (954) 522-8445.
