The Diablo Symphony concludes its 63rd season with a performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 on Sunday, May 17 at 2:00 p.m., at the Lesher Center for the Arts. The difficulties under which Shostakovich (by then under condemnation by Stalin’s regime) composed in 1937 permeate the deep and complex emotions of this extraordinary work. The program also features works by two American composers—Aaron Copland and Daniel Pesca—that celebrate the joys and bravery of everyday existence. Composed in 1942, in response to the U.S. entry into World War II, Copland’s "Fanfare for the Common Man” pays tribute to the heroism of the common person on the home front. And, in this west coast premiere of Pesca’s “Up North” piano concerto—performed by the composer—listeners will be transported by musically depicted moments of cheer, nostalgia, charm, and the warmth of family remembered from childhood trips taken from Alabama up to Northern Michigan each summer. With these three works, performed side-by-side under the direction of conductor Matilda Hofman, the program explores the entire gamut of human emotions.
Tickets are available through the orchestra's website www.diablosymhony.org, the Lesher Center box office, and at the door. Youth and senior group discounts are available, and ages 12 and under are free (but need a ticket for a seat).Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Lesher Center box office (925-943-7469, Wednesday–Sunday, 12:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.) or through the DSO’s website, diablosymphony.org. Adult tickets are $45, and youth tickets are $15. A discount for senior groups of 10 or more is available, and children 12 and under are free but need a ticket to reserve a seat. Tickets will also be available at the door.