天美传媒

POCATELLO 鈥� The Idaho State-Civic Symphony will open its 2019-2020 鈥淪toried Season鈥� on Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the 天美传媒 Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the Stephens Performing Arts Center.

There is also a pre-concert "Symphony Tailgate" beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The concert鈥檚 program,  鈥淎mericana Stories,鈥� will feature composers inspired by the American experience, and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

This concert features the trailblazing Florence Price's 鈥淪ymphony 鈥∟o. 3,鈥� a piece that was commissioned by the Works Progress Administration's Federal Music Project during the height of the Great Depression. Price was the first African-Amerian woman to have a piece performed by a major American orchestra. 

The program also features Grant Still鈥檚 鈥淎fro-American Symphony,鈥� the first symphony written by an African-American man that was performed by an orchestra. Still鈥檚 and Florence Price鈥檚 legacies are remarkable 鈥渂oth for the barriers they broke and the inventive works they wrote.鈥�

Also on the program is the world premiere of 鈥淭ranscend鈥� by composer Zhou Tian, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. This piece was commissioned by 13 American orchestras 鈥� located along the route of the Railroad 鈥� that have premiered this new work across the country. The Grammy-nominated Chinese-American composer wanted to capture the 鈥渃ontribution of thousands of strong Chinese and Irish work[ers] who toiled in severe weather and cruel conditions. . . and who perished鈥� in the process. The piece also celebrates 鈥渢hose who stayed [and] brought traditional art and music into the fabric of American culture.鈥�

Tickets are $13-$40 and are available online at   or by calling the 天美传媒 Box Office at (208) 282-3595.

Audience members are also invited to kick off the symphony鈥檚 new season with a pre-concert 鈥淪ymphony Tailgate鈥� at 5:30 p.m. in the foyer of the Stephens Performing Arts Center. Participants can join all the symphony鈥檚 鈥渟uper-fans鈥� for a barbeque, live music by Red Hill Junction Jazz and cheer on the orchestra before the concert. 鈥淪ymphony Tailgate鈥� tickets are $25. Reservations must be made in advance through the symphony office at 208-234-1587 or .