The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will present an program of works inspired by Earth and the rest of the solar system, 8 p.m., February 1 and 3, at Atlanta Symphony Hall.
The concert will showcase British composer Gustav Holst’s noted mythical masterpiece, The Planets, which presents each planet personified as its astrological character. But that’s not all.
Conductor Gemma New will lead the program, which features principal percussionist Joseph Petrasek in Adam Schoenberg’s Losing Earth.
“When I was first commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony to write this piece, I began to think about the history of percussion and how it can be traced back to the beginning of time,” Schoenberg said about his piece. “This instrument has watched the Earth endure all its phases, including the devastation that is now beginning to emerge because of global warming. Losing Earth pays homage to this history.”
The concert opens with award-winning composer Salina Fisher’s 2015 work, Rainphase, that showcases the rhythmic power of the ASO’ percussion section. Both nights will also include the University of Georgia Hodgson Singers, under the direction of Daniel Bara, and the Georgia State University Singers, directed by Deanna Joseph.
For tickets or more information, visit www.aso.org.
Photo: Featured artists at the concert: conductor Gemma New and principal Joseph Petrasek.
