The Concord Orchestra will present “The Vernacular Express”, a program celebrating American folk music, jazz, and musical theater at 8 p.m. on January 28 with a a preconcert talk with the conductor at 7:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. on January 29 at the Performing Arts Center, 51 Walden Street.
Included are Bernard Hoffer’s “Fanfare for Dick,” George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” Hoffer’s “Kurt Weill Songbook” and Charles Ives’ “Symphony No. 2.”
Eriv Culver has been The Concord Orchestra’s consulting conductor during the process of finding a new music director. He has been active as a composer, pianist and conductor at New Stagecraft Theater Company in New York City, Huntington Theater in Boston, A.R.T. in Cambridge and Signature Theater in Arlington, Virginia. He is now in his fifth season conducting the Hanover Theater’s full “Nutcracker” in Worcester.
Hoffer has written several arrangements of standards from the Great American Songbook for The Concord Orchestra. This season, vocalist Jeffrey Korn will perform Hoffer’s arrangement of songs of German-born American immigrant Kurt Weill. The audience will recognize “Mack the Knife” from “The Threepenny Opera” and will also enjoy rediscovering great tunes and fascinating lyrics from Broadway musicals first performed in the 1940s.
Korn appeared with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall with John Williams and Yo-Yo Ma. He starred in the off-Broadway hit “Forever Plaid” and the off-Broadway Jewish musical comedy “That’s Life!” He has toured the US and Europe with his vocal quartet, “Where’s the Band? Acapella”.
Composer Charles Ives was influenced by European composers such as Dvorak, Bartok and Tchaikovsky whose compositions are inspired by folk music of their native countries. “Symphony No. 2” contains quotes from American hymns, spirituals, fiddle tunes, marching band tunes, and patriotic songs. George Gershwin’s jazz-influenced “An American in Paris” describes the experience of an American strolling the streets of Paris and the sounds of honking taxi horns.
This program is supported in part by grants from the Acton-Boxborough, Bedford, Carlisle, and Concord Cultural Councils; local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Tickets for adults and seniors are $25. Admission for youths under 18 is free. Masks are required in the concert hall. Full immunization against COVID is strongly recommended, but proof of vaccination will not be required for attendance. For tickets and information, call 978-369-4967 or visit www.concordorchestra.com.
