BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Richmond Symphony - ECPv6.15.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.richmondsymphony.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Richmond Symphony REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260117T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260117T193000 DTSTAMP:20260501T040538 CREATED:20250222T233029Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260115T213954Z UID:33216-1768678200-1768678200@www.richmondsymphony.com SUMMARY:Damien Geter's An African American Requiem DESCRIPTION:In composing his epic\, moving Requiem\, Damien Geter was inspired by those composed earlier by Mozart\, Berlioz\, Brahms\, and especially Verdi. Within the traditional Latin text\, Geter’s Requiem weaves the words of victims of lynching and of those who dared speak out. “A Requiem memorializes a person\,” Geter has stated. “We need to memorialize these folks in some way\, to keep their names alive. And this is the way I choose to honor them.” \n \n\n \n \n History\, Influences\, & Musical Preview \n \n\n \n \n \n Richmond Symphony composer-in-residence Damien Geter began composing “An African-American Requiem” in 2016\, commissioned by Resonance Ensemble\, and premiered the work with the Oregon Symphony in 2022. As a musical response to violence against Black Americans\, Geter modeled the twenty-movement composition after Verdi’s “Requiem.” He combines traditional Latin Requiem texts with civil rights declarations\, poetry\, and Eric Garner’s last words\, “I can’t breathe.”  \nMusical moment to listen for: \nIn the movement Lacrimosa (Latin for weeping or tearful)\, Geter writes a haunting clarinet solo echoing the Star-Spangled Banner in D minor\, but something is missing. Although there are no lyrics to this solo\, the memorable melody has you following them long enough to notice that he omits the promised peak note "free" from the phrase. The silence is deafening\, as Geter's message is clear. \n"In a concert setting\, we are forced to listen to\, and take in\, not only the music\, but the message. Music can be a conduit in that way\, bridging the reluctant person’s heart to that of a broader human experience." — Damien Geter \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Foreword by Aminata R. Sei for "An African American Requiem" \n \n\n \n \n \n Damien Geter has masterfully curated this renaissance on a canvas of our consciousness and our necessary call to duty. This Requiem is as it should be-sobering and bold. A Thank You is in order\, from me and from you\, for his courage and vision\, and for the hope it instills in our community. The work is a most salient reminder of our struggle\, of where it began\, how far we have come and the promise that rests in where we are headed. \nHostility and strife prevail\, a seeming disregard for life and a conjuring of the pain of past atrocities. Devaluation of Black lives. This continued denigration of our culture\, of black men and women\, and sometimes of black children\, must stop. The communal impact of generational and systemic discrimination over time is loss of confidence and a diminished will power. That is the unfortunate truth. This requiem defies that truth. It beckons from our souls a sense of fresh optimism so listen for it between the notes. Let that resonance overcome. Damien Geter presents a powerful and eclectic arrangement that reassures us of the courage of the likes of Ida B Wells. He shines a light on the truth that is the revolution of each movement. History bears witness to Beethoven’s monumental influence on symphony; the impact of emotions on classical music\, and this Requiem illuminates the fire on that torch; it heightens all of ours. \nWhere others had stood up and spoken out\, today this composer with unmatched creative genius has made his mark by gifting the world with a remarkable musical transcription. A war song. An anthem. Through moments of deep reflection you’ll come to appreciate that this Requiem is no dirge. It is a sacred call. Every chord striking a memory of all of the souls of our dearly departed from whom life was unjustly taken. A reckoning of love and hope. This work will revolutionize our path to activism. It is pacesetting classical music. Other greats have left their mark\, and I am certain so will this maestro. \nJames Baldwin said it best\, “you write to change the world…” Damien Geter was born to write this masterpiece\, and it will change how we show up in the world. \n— Aminata R. Sei URL:https://www.richmondsymphony.com/event/damien-geters-an-african-american-requiem/2026-01-17/ LOCATION:Carpenter Theatre\, 612 East Grace Street\, Richmond \, VA\, 23219\, United States CATEGORIES:Concerts & Events,Symphony Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.richmondsymphony.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/KazemAbdullahwebsite.png ORGANIZER;CN="Richmond Symphony":MAILTO:patronservices@richmondsymphony.com GEO:37.5415432;-77.43695 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Carpenter Theatre 612 East Grace Street Richmond VA 23219 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=612 East Grace Street:geo:-77.43695,37.5415432 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260118T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260118T150000 DTSTAMP:20260501T040538 CREATED:20250222T233029Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260115T213954Z UID:33217-1768748400-1768748400@www.richmondsymphony.com SUMMARY:Damien Geter's An African American Requiem DESCRIPTION:In composing his epic\, moving Requiem\, Damien Geter was inspired by those composed earlier by Mozart\, Berlioz\, Brahms\, and especially Verdi. Within the traditional Latin text\, Geter’s Requiem weaves the words of victims of lynching and of those who dared speak out. “A Requiem memorializes a person\,” Geter has stated. “We need to memorialize these folks in some way\, to keep their names alive. And this is the way I choose to honor them.” \n \n\n \n \n History\, Influences\, & Musical Preview \n \n\n \n \n \n Richmond Symphony composer-in-residence Damien Geter began composing “An African-American Requiem” in 2016\, commissioned by Resonance Ensemble\, and premiered the work with the Oregon Symphony in 2022. As a musical response to violence against Black Americans\, Geter modeled the twenty-movement composition after Verdi’s “Requiem.” He combines traditional Latin Requiem texts with civil rights declarations\, poetry\, and Eric Garner’s last words\, “I can’t breathe.”  \nMusical moment to listen for: \nIn the movement Lacrimosa (Latin for weeping or tearful)\, Geter writes a haunting clarinet solo echoing the Star-Spangled Banner in D minor\, but something is missing. Although there are no lyrics to this solo\, the memorable melody has you following them long enough to notice that he omits the promised peak note "free" from the phrase. The silence is deafening\, as Geter's message is clear. \n"In a concert setting\, we are forced to listen to\, and take in\, not only the music\, but the message. Music can be a conduit in that way\, bridging the reluctant person’s heart to that of a broader human experience." — Damien Geter \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Foreword by Aminata R. Sei for "An African American Requiem" \n \n\n \n \n \n Damien Geter has masterfully curated this renaissance on a canvas of our consciousness and our necessary call to duty. This Requiem is as it should be-sobering and bold. A Thank You is in order\, from me and from you\, for his courage and vision\, and for the hope it instills in our community. The work is a most salient reminder of our struggle\, of where it began\, how far we have come and the promise that rests in where we are headed. \nHostility and strife prevail\, a seeming disregard for life and a conjuring of the pain of past atrocities. Devaluation of Black lives. This continued denigration of our culture\, of black men and women\, and sometimes of black children\, must stop. The communal impact of generational and systemic discrimination over time is loss of confidence and a diminished will power. That is the unfortunate truth. This requiem defies that truth. It beckons from our souls a sense of fresh optimism so listen for it between the notes. Let that resonance overcome. Damien Geter presents a powerful and eclectic arrangement that reassures us of the courage of the likes of Ida B Wells. He shines a light on the truth that is the revolution of each movement. History bears witness to Beethoven’s monumental influence on symphony; the impact of emotions on classical music\, and this Requiem illuminates the fire on that torch; it heightens all of ours. \nWhere others had stood up and spoken out\, today this composer with unmatched creative genius has made his mark by gifting the world with a remarkable musical transcription. A war song. An anthem. Through moments of deep reflection you’ll come to appreciate that this Requiem is no dirge. It is a sacred call. Every chord striking a memory of all of the souls of our dearly departed from whom life was unjustly taken. A reckoning of love and hope. This work will revolutionize our path to activism. It is pacesetting classical music. Other greats have left their mark\, and I am certain so will this maestro. \nJames Baldwin said it best\, “you write to change the world…” Damien Geter was born to write this masterpiece\, and it will change how we show up in the world. \n— Aminata R. Sei URL:https://www.richmondsymphony.com/event/damien-geters-an-african-american-requiem/2026-01-18/ LOCATION:Carpenter Theatre\, 612 East Grace Street\, Richmond \, VA\, 23219\, United States CATEGORIES:Concerts & Events,Symphony Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.richmondsymphony.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/KazemAbdullahwebsite.png ORGANIZER;CN="Richmond Symphony":MAILTO:patronservices@richmondsymphony.com GEO:37.5415432;-77.43695 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Carpenter Theatre 612 East Grace Street Richmond VA 23219 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=612 East Grace Street:geo:-77.43695,37.5415432 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260131T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260131T193000 DTSTAMP:20260501T040538 CREATED:20250222T233029Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260130T153908Z UID:33219-1769887800-1769887800@www.richmondsymphony.com SUMMARY:Conrad Tao Plays Gershwin DESCRIPTION:Just 30\, Conrad Tao\, says the Detroit Free Press “owns a place among the world’s virtuosos. he blew the doors off in a performance hair-raising in its technical brilliance.” Experience his phenomenal artistry in music from the jazz-age: George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F. and his mercurial homage to Gershwin\, Flung Out. And rising American conductor Ben Manis leads Mozart’s great\, final Symphony No. 41\, the “Jupiter.” \n \n\n \n \n About Conrad Tao \n \n\n \n \n \n Conrad Tao is a pianist and composer acclaimed for his fearless creativity and virtuosic command of the keyboard. Praised by New York Magazine as “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music\,” Tao has performed with leading orchestras worldwide\, including the New York Philharmonic\, Los Angeles Philharmonic\, and Boston Symphony. A recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and Gilmore Young Artist Award\, he was also named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for his groundbreaking contributions to classical music. \nA prodigy since childhood\, Tao began playing piano by ear at just 18 months and gave his first public recital at age 4. By 8\, he was performing Mozart concertos\, and at 9 he moved to New York to study at Juilliard Pre-College. His remarkable compositional talent earned him eight consecutive ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards (2004–2011)\, the BMI Carlos Surinach Prize at age 10\, and recognition as a Davidson Fellow Laureate\, all before turning 18. \nAs a composer\, Tao has earned eight consecutive ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards and commissions from major ensembles. His works often blur boundaries between genres\, weaving jazz\, classical\, and contemporary influences into a distinctive voice. \nThe centerpiece of this program is Flung Out\, Tao’s own piano concerto\, a bold homage to Gershwin that uses original instrumentation from Rhapsody in Blue (banjo\, baritone sax\, ropes of saxophones\, brass) and features a “really sentimental\, lush\, romantic theme” embedded in fast\, frenetic passages. \n“I’m really excited to have a baritone saxophone and a banjo in the mix… using the same instruments Gershwin had for Rhapsody in Blue\,” Tao says. \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n About Ben Manis \n \n\n \n \n \n Ben Manis is an American conductor celebrated for his dynamic artistry and collaborative approach across both symphonic and operatic stages. Currently Resident Conductor of the Grand Teton Music Festival and former Associate Conductor of the Utah Symphony\, Manis has led performances with major institutions including Houston Grand Opera and San Francisco Opera\, where critics praised his “confident\, unflagging pace.” His operatic credits include Carmen\, Il Barbiere di Siviglia\, Tosca\, and Romeo et Juliette\, alongside premieres of contemporary works such as Marian’s Song and The Snowy Day. \nA four-time recipient of the Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award\, Manis studied conducting at Rice University’s Shepherd School and trained at the Aspen Conducting Academy. He has assisted renowned maestros including Leonard Slatkin\, James Conlon\, and Robert Spano\, and worked with leading orchestras across the U.S. \nKnown for his ability to balance precision with expressive depth\, Manis brings a fresh\, engaging perspective to every performance\, making him one of today’s most exciting young conductors. URL:https://www.richmondsymphony.com/event/conrad-tao-plays-gershwin/2026-01-31/ LOCATION:Carpenter Theatre\, 612 East Grace Street\, Richmond \, VA\, 23219\, United States CATEGORIES:Concerts & Events,Symphony Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.richmondsymphony.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Tao_cBrantleyGutierrez-01website.png ORGANIZER;CN="Richmond Symphony":MAILTO:patronservices@richmondsymphony.com GEO:37.5415432;-77.43695 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Carpenter Theatre 612 East Grace Street Richmond VA 23219 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=612 East Grace Street:geo:-77.43695,37.5415432 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR