Mussorgsky Pictures At An Exhibition

An-Lun Huang trudged through trial during much of his musical beginnings, but like the farmers in his acclaimed work Saibei Dance (Oklahoma premiere), Huang experienced a harvest of unmistakable joy as the Chinese Cultural Revolution ended and he could greater pursue his music. 

Pictures at an Exhibition is the musical manifestation of Viktor Hartmann’s sketches and paintings that once hung in a gallery visited by the composer of tonight’s work, Modest Mussorgsky. Each of the ten artistic expressions evoked specific emotions for Mussorgsky, which he turned into the famous Russian orchestral composition.

Fazil Say’s 1001 Nights in the Harem (Oklahoma premiere) is the expertly crafted amalgamation of traditional Turkish and Western influence in a phenomenal concerto structure that also touches on Say’s fondness for Jazz. As the tale of the 1001 Arabian Nights brings its readers through an adventure, Say’s orchestral composition carries its audience on a journey through a distant land.

Our guest tonight is American Violinist Sean Riley who, amongst many accolades, performed for the Prince of Wales at his 65th birthday celebration this past year.

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