Toledo Symphony Principal trombonist Garth Simmons makes a return solo appearance in Carlos Simon’s riveting concerto Troubled Water, inspired by stories told by enslaved African Americans and abolitionists about the Underground Railroad. The Montgomery Variations, by Margaret Bonds, is similarly inspired by episodes of our country’s history, in this case, the Civil Rights movement, with the city of Montgomery, AL as a focal point. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 is a towering symphonic structure that explores themes of fate and destiny through lush orchestration and heart-rending melodies.
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