An American Dream

Experience musical freedom and be surprised by this extraordinary performance of Florence Price's Third Symphony. Price wrote a rich orchestration that conveys both the universal power of music and a very personal experience. No wonder, as an African-American, female composer in the 1930s in the southern United States, her identity became inextricably linked to her work. All the more wonderful that after decades of oblivion, she manages to hit it again.

Price's Third symphony she composed after fleeing the suffocating South, during the Harlem Renaissance in Chicago. This work reflects a unique fusion of European symphonic traditions versus African-American influences: spirituals, blues, rhythm. A perfect match for American conductor Andrew Grams. Today, Price's deep, proud sounds are juxtaposed with a particularly melodic sound: Mendelssohn's world-famous Violin Concerto. This lyrical masterpiece is performed by the extraordinary violinist Karen Gomyo. The concert kicks off with Gershwin's energetic An American in Paris, in which jazz meets classical music in a vibrant ode to the city of lights.