Simple Symphony

About

A centrepiece to Markham’s 2017 Contemporary Music Festival, the Kindred Spirits Orchestra presents a stimulating concert of twentieth century music. Two works from prominent Danish composer, Carl Nielsen are showcased in this captivating program: Suite for String Orchestra, and Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra. The former, his opus 1, was written while still studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, and alludes to the composer’s future style and unique mature voice. The KSO’s own principal clarinetist Carmen Gassi tackles the wildly bi-polar Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra; a piece of music said to depict the soloist for whom it was written. Entirely based on melodies composed from age nine to twelve, British composer Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony is a crafty reworking of simple piano works into a stunning work for strings.