I have been looking forward to these concerts for a long time and for so many reasons. In these concerts we explore the beauty, strength, fragility and essential element of the earth, our home.

And even more exciting, if you have ever wondered what it was like to be in the audience for the very first hearing of a masterwork, THIS is that moment.

Commissioned by True Concord and receiving its world premiere at these concerts, composer Jake Runestad and poet Todd Boss have created a modern masterpiece, Earth Symphony (“Choral”). In the company of works by Beethoven, Vaughan Williams, Mahler and Stravinsky, Runestad has created a choral symphony of magnitude that takes on the largest of topics, climate change. I believe that it behooves us as artists to confront such challenging, essential issues.

Large forces are needed to address such a large topic – that of the very future of the earth. But, through the perfect alchemy of these two artists, Jake and Todd bring to the world an unexpected story of the earth’s recovery and renewal. Jake has the breadth and depth of skills to take on such an ambitious goal as he has a gift for writing for full forces, making the best use of the full range of choral and orchestral color. Quite frankly, Jake’s composition is stunning. Evocative, with broad sweeping lines, shifting energy and changing colors, the music and text tells the “biggest story of all big stories.” And, they have made an interesting choice to take on the voice of mother Earth with Todd’s extraordinary poetry. Earth Symphony (“Choral”) immerses the audience in the essence of what it means to be human on the earth.

This concert’s focus on the earth gives us the opportunity to perform the beloved Four Seasons by Vivaldi. One of the first “environmental” works and a celebration of nature in sound, the virtuosity of True Concord’s orchestra will shine in these performances.

True Concord excels in performing masterworks both historic and contemporary. And because music has the special ability to speak to unique moments in time, we also dedicate ourselves to using the power of music to address issues common to us all. Thank you for going on the journey with us!