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Symphony Series: Blue Mountains

  • Cordiner Hall 46 S Park St Walla Walla, WA 99362 (map)

© Duston Todd

Not sure what to wear? Where to park? When to clap? Check out our Concert Guide.

Nadège Foofat

© Elliott O'Donovan

The Program

Nadège Foofat, guest conductor


Jennifer Higdon - Cold Mountain Suite (Co-commissioned work)


Aaron Copland - Appalachian Spring Suite


George Gershwin - Lullaby


George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue

Stephen Beus, piano



WWS Co-commission is made possible by the WW Symphony Guest Composer/Artist Fund - Underrepresented Voices

 

Concert Snapshots

  • Higdon's Cold Mountain Suite was modified four times during its initial performances. The Walla Walla Symphony will play the final version.

  • Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite was originally written as a ballet score for choreographer Martha Graham and premiered in 1944. The music was so well-loved that Copland later adapted it into an orchestral suite.

  • Gershwin’s Lullaby was composed in 1919-1920 but wasn’t published until 1968, long after his death. The piece was brought to public attention by Harold Spivacke from the Library of Congress, giving people a chance to hear a lesser-known side of Gershwin’s music.

  • George Gershwin composed Rhapsody in Blue while riding a train to Boston, where he imagined the piece as a musical ‘kaleidoscope’ of American life, blending the country’s unique energy and diversity into a new sound.

Want to learn more? Click the button below to explore articles about the composers and the pieces, and read the program notes.

Explore the Music

 
 

WINE SPONSOR

Wine from our wine sponsor will be available before the concert and during intermission for $5/glass (all proceeds benefit the Walla Walla Symphony).

About the Guest Artists

Stephen Beus, piano

American pianist Stephen Beus has earned international acclaim, winning first prizes in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and the Vendome Prize International Competition. He also received the Max I. Allen Fellowship of the American Pianists Association.

As a result of winning the Juilliard School Concerto Competition, Beus made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Juilliard Orchestra, performing Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 3. He has since performed as a guest soloist with orchestras worldwide, including the Gulbenkian Symphony, Oxford Philomusica, and the Royal Philharmonic of Morocco, as well as numerous U.S. orchestras, including the Walla Walla Symphony.

Beus has also given solo recitals at prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall, Salle Gaveau, and Merkin Hall. Born in eastern Washington, he began piano lessons at age 5 and made his orchestral debut at age 9. He holds degrees from Whitman College, Juilliard, and Stony Brook University and currently teaches at Brigham Young University.

To learn more, visit www.stephenbeuspiano.com.

Nadège Foofat, guest conductor


Nadège Foofat is a conductor, violinist, violist, and advocate for cultural innovation. She is the Founder and Director of Classical at the MSV in Winchester, Virginia, and serves as Choral Director at Brambleton Middle School in Ashburn, Virginia.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Nadège began her musical journey early, performing nationally and serving as principal viola of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada at 14. She later attended Juilliard, studying viola performance.

Over the past decade, Nadège has guest conducted major orchestras across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, including the Nashville Symphony, the Hamburg Philharmonic, and the Lithuanian State Orchestra. As Assistant Conductor to Kent Nagano at the Hamburg State Opera, she helped produce significant opera productions.

Nadège champions new music and has worked with composers like Jonathan Newman and pop star Natalie Merchant. She holds advanced degrees from the University of Montreal, Yale University, and The Juilliard School.

To learn more, visit www.nadegefoofat.com

Earlier Event: October 8
Symphony Series: Tides & Tales
Later Event: December 20
Symphony Series: A Time for Three Holiday