LARA DOWNES, piano 

STRAYHORN, arr. Walden: A Lovesome Thing
“The Declaration Project”
     VALERIE COLEMAN: Life
     ARTURO O’FARRILL: Liberty
     CHRISTOPHER TIN: The Pursuit of Happiness
GERSHWIN, arr. Bennett: Porgy & Bess: A Symphonic Picture

Billy Strayhorn’s A Lovesome Thing opens the evening with a lyrical melody drawn from the world of jazz. Pianist Lara Downes joins the orchestra for selections from “The Declaration Project,” with composers Valerie Coleman, Arturo O’Farrill, and Christopher Tin reflecting on the founding ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The program closes with Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture, where melodies shaped by blues and spiritual traditions flow through a rich orchestral setting.