BSO: Americana

John Williams | The Cowboy Overture

Jeff Midkiff | Mandolin Concerto “From the Blue Ridge”

Aaron Copland | Appalachian Spring

Alberto Ginastera | Four Dances from Estancia

This performance begins with John Williams’ The Cowboy Overture, a classic 1972 Western film score and a gem loaded with melody and adventure. Composer and mandolin soloist Jeff Midkiff then joins the orchestra for “From the Blue Ridge,” which reflects his roots in the Blue Ridge Mountains and fondness for the bluegrass music tradition, with a touch of swing and jazz thrown in. This is followed by Copland’s Appalachian Spring, from an American ballet he created with Martha Graham and which earned him the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Finally, the orchestra presents Alberto Ginastera’s Four Dances From Estancia. One of the great South American composers, Ginastra was known for incorporating Argentinian folk music within his works.