Delaware County Symphony Concert to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

The Delaware County Symphony opens its 2023-24 season, Cultural Celebration, with a special concert to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month. Scheduled for Sunday October 15 at Neumann University’s Meagher Theater, the first concert, entitled Sonidos de España, features music inspired by Spain.

The concert begins with well-known favorite, Carmen Suite No. 1 by Georges Bizet. Our second piece is a World Premier of Variations on Ravel’s “Piece en Forme de Habanera” by local composer, Joseph Lorini. Inspired by the virtuosic melodic lines in the sultry character of the Spanish dance, the habanera, from Ravel’s work for mezzo soprano and piano, Lorini brings the rich emotion of the melody to life in a work for full orchestra. The second half features three dances from the ballet, El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat) by Spanish composer, Manuel De Falla, along with Maria Prieto’s symphonic poem inspired by Mexico’s most visited archeological site, Chichen Itza, once a large Mayan city. The concert concludes with Rhapsodie Espagnole by Maurice Ravel. The Rapsodie is one of Ravel’s first major works for orchestra and draws on the composer’s Spanish heritage. Find out more about the pieces featured at this concert by attending Meet the Music, a free, pre-concert lecture presented by Neumann University Music Professor, Dr. Richard Sayers, at 2:00 PM.