Pardon Our French - Music from Ravel & Gershwin

Michael Newnham, Conductor

When jazz met impressionism, the result was a bold new sound that crossed continents and redefined orchestral colour. From the sparkling energy of Tailleferre’s Overture for Orchestra to the sweeping grandeur of Ravel’s Boléro, this program explores how French and American composers of the early 20th century absorbed and reimagined each other’s musical languages. Pianist Michael Kim performs Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand, a haunting and virtuosic work composed for a war-injured pianist, while Gershwin’s An American in Paris brings brassy swagger and rhythmic vitality to the streets of the French capital.