Burleigh, Dvořák, and Beethoven  

The concert opens with Southland Sketches by Harry T. Burleigh, an American composer and singer who introduced Dvořák to African-American spirituals, singing them to him at New York’s National Conservatory in 1893. Dvořák became convinced that what he heard should be the basis for a new school of American classical music.

Written in the early 1900s, these short pieces are warm and lyrical, filled with the melodies and rhythms of the spirituals Burleigh grew up with. Listeners will hear music that feels both simple and heartfelt, often singing like a voice lifted in prayer or storytelling.

Next comes the Trio in G minor by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, a dramatic and heartfelt work that already shows the rich, folk-inspired style that made him famous.

The program closes with the Quintet in C major written by Beethoven, an energetic and expansive piece for strings that combines elegance with bold musical ideas.