Copland's Third Symphony, With Saint-Saëns' Third Violin Concerto

The opening of a new Kansas City Symphony season is cause for celebration and we can hardly wait to share this exhilarating program with you! James Lee III’s vivacious Amer’ican, a work inspired by paintings emblematic of America, is a 21st-century response to Antonín Dvořák’s call for American composers to embrace Black and Indigenous music. Filled with colorful flourishes and dense textures, Amer’ican offers Lee’s unique perspective on our country’s history and his hope for the future.
Dazzling audiences with his flawless technique and incomparable warmth, Kansas City favorite Gil Shaham brings his absolute mastery to Saint-Saëns’ most famous violin concerto. An elegant work that blends graceful sophistication with fiery virtuosity, the concerto’s exciting conclusion will bring you to your feet.
Aaron Copland sought to express the breadth of America in his Symphony No. 3. Composed at the end of World War II, the symphony reflected what Copland called “the euphoric spirit of the country at the time.” Incorporating his inspiring Fanfare for the Common Man into the symphony, Copland captured the heroism and optimism of the era. Spacious and lyrical, this lofty music was described by Boston Symphony Music Director Serge Koussevitsky as “the greatest American symphony ever written.”