CdA Symphony gets patriotic

The Coeur d’Alene Symphony has been chosen as one of 65 orchestras in the U.S. to play regional premieres of Joan Tower’s “Made in America.”

The piece will be performed tonight as part of the symphony’s Regional Talent Extravaganza, which features winners of the orchestra’s annual Young Artist Competition.

The program also includes the Concerto for Flute and Orchestra by Washington State University composer Gregory Yasinitsky, with his wife, Ann Yasinitsky, as soloist.

David Demand, the orchestra’s music director, will conduct the concert at North Idaho College’s Schuler Auditorium.

“Made in America,” written in 2005 by New York composer Joan Tower, was commissioned by the American Symphony Orchestra League and Meet the Composer on behalf a consortium of 65 U.S. orchestras with smaller budgets.

The project was funded by the Ford Motor Co., the National Endowment for the Arts and a group of five other financial and charitable institutions.

“Their goal is to have at least one orchestra in each of the 50 states to premiere this work,” Demand says. “Originally the Boise Symphony was tapped, but they backed out, and the League asked the Coeur d’Alene Symphony to perform this work.”

Tower based the 10-minute composition on “America The Beautiful.”

“It really reflects America as she develops the tune throughout the piece,” says Demand.

Each year the Coeur d’Alene Symphony selects young artist winners in three categories: young professional, collegiate, and high school levels.

Tonight, the Russian-born, New York-based clarinetist Kliment Krilovsky will perform the first movement of Weber’s Clarinet Concerto in F minor.

Chinese pianist Tong Wu, a student at Weber State University, will perform the first movement of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

And Leah Nelson, a 14-year-old violinist from Seattle, will play the opening movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.

Singers on the program include two Seattle-based sopranos. Ali King, who is studying voice in Los Angeles, will perform arias by Bizet and Sullivan. Susanna Eiland, a graduate of Boston University, will sing arias by Offenbach and Mozart.

“Kimberly Monzon from Spokane was the voice division winner in the Professional Division,” Demand says. “But she is singing with the Boise Opera and will not be able to sing at this concert. She will sing with our Chamber Orchestra in April.”