Expect “lots of swing and sophistication," says Cosette Justo Valdés about her all-Gershwin program with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, set for 7:30 pm on Saturday, Apr 5 at Chenery Auditorium, featuring the original jazz-band setting of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, featuring fellow Cuban-born musician Aldo López-Gavilán. Vocalist Mikaela Bennett will join the orchestra to perform Gershwin songs originally arranged for Ella Fitzgerald, and KSO principal flutist Yukie Ota will be featured in an arrangement of his Three Preludes.
Justo Valdés is very familiar with the history behind Gershwin’s music and the different worlds in which he lived. She emphasizes the "crossover" nature of Gershwin's work, particularly "Rhapsody in Blue," the first jazz-classical concerto ever written – and in less than 6 weeks. She says Aldo López-Gavilán, a friend and multi-genre artist, is the perfect pianist for this occasion.
Tickets and more information are available at the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra website.
