Bozeman Symphony to Perform Brahms Symphony No. 1 & Composer-in-Residence Scott Lee’s World Premiere of Inner Life

BOZEMAN -- The Bozeman Symphony’s fourth classical concert of the 2023/24 season, Brahms Symphony No. 1 in late March, will also include the world premiere of Inner Life, Composer-in-Residence Scott Lee’s final commission for the Bozeman Symphony.

Music fans are invited to watch Music Director Norman Huynh’s passionate interpretation of Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1, a work of exceptional depth and complexity considered one of the masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire. With his musical vision and profound understanding of the work, Huynh manages to capture the very essence of this breathtaking composition, conveying intense emotion through every note.

Brahms Symphony No. 1 presents a well-crafted musical structure, highlighting the virtuosity of the orchestra, powerful melodies, and rich harmonies to create an unforgettable musical experience. Brahms skillfully combined classical traditions with a touch of modernity, creating a unique musical language of his own. Nearly 20 years in the making, the work that premiered in 1876 is noted for its amazing lyricism and thematic unity and remains one of the greatest examples of the Austro-German symphony to this day.

In his latest work Inner Life, Lee takes us on a journey of self-discovery. From the first kernel of an idea in Take Shape, the work’s first movement, through the exploration of that idea inAstray, the second movement, and finally, finding the meaning in it and coming to the journey’s end in the third movement, You Are Here, the listener is taken through the composer’s tumultuous inner journey. The piece’s three movements flow uninterrupted from one into the next, with the music and rhythms representing the inner thoughts and process of discovery as the composer makes the journey from chaos to synthesis and closure.

Performances are Saturday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 24, at 2:30 p.m., atthe Willson Auditorium, 404 West Main Street in downtown Bozeman. These concerts would not be possible without the support of sponsors Cal and Tricia DeSouza and Prof. Rob Maher and Mrs. Lynn Peterson-Maher.

Individual tickets are available at https://www.bozemansymphony.org/normanconductsbeethoven.html or at 406-585-9774. Adult tickets start at $29 and discounted student tickets (K-12 and college) are available.