June 4, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Santa Monica Symphony Concert to Celebrate the Legacy of MLK Jr.

By Tabitha Hogue

Many people think diminishing audiences for classical orchestral concerts is a modern day problem, but in fact, it was an issue for orchestras as far back as the 1930s. No stranger to this problem, American composer Aaron Copland decided to try out a musical style that would be more appealing and accessible to the general public. The resulting pieces include some of his most beloved compositions, such as Appalachian Spring and Fanfare for the Common Man. The Fanfare was inspired by a line from a speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Vice-President, Henry Wallace, which described the 20th century as “the century of the common man.”

Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man will open a special free concert by the Santa Monica Symphony this Saturday, January 13th , at 2 pm in SGI Auditorium, 525 Wilshire Blvd. This Martin Luther King Holiday Weekend performance will celebrate the legacy of MLK Jr. and largely comprises music by American composers, including Duke Ellington and Joseph Schwantner.

About the Fanfare, Santa Monica Symphony Music Director and Conductor Guido Lamell says, “I love this piece – it’s got this great American sound to it – full of open harmonies and major chords above powerful percussion elements. What the character of this music – and the title of the work – says to me is that we are more similar and more together than we are apart.”

The next piece on the program, Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown, and Beige, Lamell describes as “a wonderful orchestration of some standard jazz styles.” As such, the piece presents some unique challenges. “Even though a saxophone or a trumpet can go tearing through improvisational solos at the speed of light, which is kind of normal in the jazz world, when you try to get a whole brass section or all the strings to emulate that and do it together, it turns out that it’s one of the most difficult things that we’ve ever done,” Lamell said, adding, “But it’s great fun.”

Black, Brown, and Beige illustrates various seasons of African American history, with the “Black” section depicting people at work and at prayer. “Brown” commemorates black soldiers who fought in American wars. “Beige”, Ellington said, was meant to “depict the contemporary Negro and his plight in the US between two world wars and during the second. The twenties meant gin-mills, the pseudo-African movement, the Charleston, the party life, the lonely plight of the single drinkers, the sad tinkle of a
people beneath the tremblors of their night-life.

The first half of the program ends with Giacomo Puccini’s great operatic aria Te Deum from Tosca, and will be performed by Internationally celebrated Bass/Baritone Cedric Berry. Regarding his selection of this aria, Berry notes, “This concert has epic pieces from other genres. I wanted to choose something from the operatic repertoire that was just as epic. This is one of the greatest scenes for a Bass/Baritone, riddled with theatrical and vocal drama.”

The closing piece on Saturday’s program is Joseph Schwantner’s New Morning for the World, which Lamell describes as “a complex and grand work that is designed to provide a dramatic setting for a number of Martin Luther King’s great narratives.” Cedric Berry returns to the stage to provide the narration and he commented, “Although I have never performed the piece, I respect and value anything that honors and highlights the life and words of Martin Luther King.”

Lamell cautions audience members not to expect a “comfortable, fun, melodic piece. In fact, the whole opening of it has a character of conflict, turmoil and strife with lots of percussion and complex rhythms and even conflicting harmonies to set the stage for the conflicts and difficulties of black history. Only later in the work do things begin to calm down and take on a more conciliatory tone.”

Saturday’s performance at SGI Auditorium is free to the public, with open seating. For more information about the concert, please visit www.smSymphony.org or call (310)395-6330.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Photo by Julian Wasser//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)
Related Posts

A Season of Gratitude: After One Year in Business, Urban Jungle Continues Making its Mark

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Over the last year, Urban Jungle, an indoor and tropical plants nursery, has continued its mission to cultivate a place...

The soul’s greatest hits

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

From ‘Ave Maria’ to ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ and ‘Ode to Joy,” a Santa Monica concert raising funds to help fire victims...

LAPD Increases Security at Jewish Sites Following Colorado Flamethrower Attack

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Officials Ramp Up Patrols and Plan Emergency Response as Shavuot Concludes. Security outside Jewish institutions in Los Angeles has been...

The Peabody Awards Celebrate Bold Storytelling and Social Impact at Beverly Hills Gala

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Honorees Including Baby Reindeer, Shōgun, and The Only Doctor at In-Person Ceremony The Peabody Awards held their awards ceremony Sunday...

Chamber Music Palisades Presents an Afternoon of Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, and More

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Brentwood Hosts Free Classical Concert with LA Philharmonic Greats Chamber Music Palisades will present a free community concert on Saturday,...

Massive Fire Engulfs Auto Shop, Shuts Down 10 Freeway Eastbound Lanes

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Explosions, Thick Smoke, and Downed Power Lines Disrupt Traffic in Palms A fast-moving fire broke out Sunday behind a commercial...

Alpine Floor & Home: A Legacy of Quality Since 1968

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Founded in 1968 with a single location, Alpine Floor & Home began as a humble family business with a clear...

Chin Chin to Close West Hollywood Location After 45 Years of Service

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Iconic Sunset Plaza Restaurant Announces Final Day of Operations Chin Chin, the iconic Chinese eatery that has been a fixture...

LACMA’s $700M David Geffen Galleries to Open in 2026

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

New Structure Will Replace Original Midcentury Buildings Construction crews are entering the final stretch on the David Geffen Galleries, a...

Criterion Mobile Closet Arrives in L.A. for Two-Day Stop at Santa Monica’s Aero Theatre

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

More Than 1,000 Classic Titles June 6–7 During American Cinematheque’s Bleak Week  Following its successful appearances at SXSW and Vidiots...

Lane Closures Return to PCH in Malibu for Fire Recovery and Emergency Repairs

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Traffic Will Be Impacted as Caltrans and the USACE Conduct Cleanup  The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced updated...

Update: Police Non-Emergency Line Temporarily Down Due to Service Outage in Culver City

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Emergency 9-1-1 Services Remain Active; Alternate Numbers are Available  UPDATE – Monday, June 2 at 7:25 am The Culver City...

Culver City to Frame Iconic Tree with Landmark Sculpture by Charles Gaines

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Acclaimed Conceptual Artist’s Public Artwork Enters Final Phase Culver City is moving forward with the final phase of an ambitious...

Defensible Space, Defined: How A Plus Tree Protects Communities from Wildfire

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

In the wildfire-prone landscapes of the Western United States, safeguarding homes and communities requires proactive measures. A Plus Tree, a...

WeHo Pride Weekend Begins and 2025 Icons Announced: Parades, Concerts, and Community Celebration Kicks Off

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

Three-Day LGBTQ+ Festival Features Performances by Lizzo, Maren Morris, and Kim Petras West Hollywood is preparing to kick off its...