On Saturday, Feb 7 at 7 pm, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra presents a unique program featuring the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra in a side-by-side performance, headlined by the premiere of "The Brothers Concerto" co-composed by Peter Dugan and his older brother Leonardo Dugan. Peter Dugan is also known for hosting “From the Top,” a popular public radio program featuring young performers from around the US and beyond. He and conductor Andrew Koehler joined Cara Lieurance to preview the concert.
The four-movement work blends the classical and jazz traditions that both brothers were drawn to during their musical development. Each movement draws from the brothers' personal histories: "Phoenix" reflects Leonardo's family rebuilding after a house fire, "Red Car's Last Ride" recalls their first gig together, the “Prelude and Fugue” originated during the pandemic, and "Night Beasts" depicts childhood camping adventures.
"Kalamazoo, you're all so lucky to have this orchestra here that prizes new music and commissioning new works," Dugan says, noting that Boston Conservatory at Berklee co-commissioned the project and hosted a workshopping session.
Andrew Koehler, music director of the KJSO and conductor for the entire concert, explains the side-by-side tradition allows young musicians to sit beside their teachers and professional mentors. "It is a very different thing to be in a lesson with these folks, and it's another thing to sit right next to them and get to play the same thing together," he says.
Approximately 140 musicians will share the stage for Sibelius's Symphony No. 2 in D, which Koehler describes as governed by "the severest logic" while containing both "sun and darkness and triumph and resignation."
The concert opens with Grażyna Bacewicz's overture from 1943, written during Warsaw's bombardment. Koehler calls the Polish composer's ability to create such energetic music amid devastation "astounding."
Tickets are available at kalamazoosymphony.com.
This interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
