Blog – Colorado Symphony

This weekend, saxophonist Jess Gillam takes center stage in Glasslands, a spellbinding concerto written just for her by composer Anna Clyne. We caught up with Gillam to talk about shaping the work from the ground up, redefining the sound of her instrument, and what she hopes Denver audiences will experience. Jess Gillam: Watching this piece take shape was such a fascinating…<...

Few works in the history of music have detonated onto the cultural scene with the force of The Rite of Spring. Even more than a century after its infamous 1913 premiere, Igor Stravinsky’s primal masterpiece still feels dangerous. Its rhythms volatile. Its harmonies raw. Its vision of humanity both ancient and unsettlingly modern. The seed of the work came to Stravinsky in 191...

On a warm summer evening in southwest Denver, music drifts across Harvey Park. Families gather, children chase each other through the grass, and the familiar, electric opening clarinet glissando of Rhapsody in Blue rises into the air. It’s a sound that has come to define American music: restless, optimistic, unmistakably alive. But here, in this particular park, that music ca...

There’s a real affection in Denver for Marin Alsop and for good reason. One of the preeminent conductors of her generation, Alsop’s career was launched right here in the Mile High City, where she served as music director from 1993 – 2005. Beloved by audiences and musicians alike, she returns this week to Boettcher Concert Hall for a trio of performances that reflect what she’...

This weekend, the Colorado Symphony welcomes pianist and composer Gabriela Montero back to Denver for a thrilling program led by Marin Alsop, featuring Montero’s own “Latin” Piano Concerto No. 1. Ahead of her return, Montero shared what it means to perform a work so closely tied to her own life — and why its message continues to evolve. Gabriela Montero: I try and bring my ex...