Gershwin’s An American in Paris

Experience works by American composers with The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by rising star New Zealand conductor Gemma New, making her SPAC debut. The program opens with Montgomery’s Strum for string orchestra, a folk-inspired and layered piece that speaks to the versatility of modern classical music.

GRAMMY Award-winning pianist Michelle Cann also makes her SPAC debut with two works: Ravel’s lush, jazz-influenced Piano Concerto in G major and Florence Price’s once-lost Piano Concerto in One Movement. Cann is known as a leading performer of previously unpublished work by Price, a prolific composer and the first African American woman to have a piece performed by a major orchestra.

Closing out the program is Gershwin’s atmospheric An American in Paris.

Gemma New (ONZM) is Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She received the 2021 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award and was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2024. Highlights of New’s 2025/2026 season include debuts with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, SWR Sinfonieorchester, and with Houston Grand Opera leading The Barber of Seville. She returns to lead the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, BBC Scottish Symphony, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra.

In her fourth season as Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, New conducts fall 2025 performances in Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland, featuring the world premiere of an NZSO commission by Tabea Squire and collaborations with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and saxophonist Jess Gillam. Other highlights include performances of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 and Mahler’s Sixth Symphony.

New previously served as Music Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Resident Conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Associate Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony. She was a Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a Conducting Fellow at Tanglewood, and she received Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Awards in 2017, 2019, and 2020.

Michelle Cann is a GRAMMY Award-winning pianist described as exquisite by The Philadelphia Inquirer and a pianist of sterling artistry by Gramophone. Recent engagements include appearances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, and Orquestra Sinfônica Municipal de São Paulo. She is a recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence and the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award.

Cann is recognized as a leading interpreter of the piano music of Florence Price. She performed the New York City premiere of Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement in 2016. Her recording of that concerto with the New York Youth Symphony won a GRAMMY Award in 2023 for Best Orchestral Performance. She won a GRAMMY Award in 2025 for Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price. Her debut solo album Revival, featuring music by Price and Margaret Bonds, was released in 2023.

Cann holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and an Artist’s Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music. She joined the Curtis piano faculty in 2020 as the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies and is on the piano faculty of the Manhattan School of Music.

Permitted items
- Food, beverages, and disposable utensils (compostable, plastic, reusable, etc.)
- Blankets and breathable ground coverings
- Umbrellas (only personal-sized umbrellas will be permitted on the amphitheater lawn)
- Lawn chairs (must not exceed 43 inches in height when opened; lawn chairs on the center amphitheater lawn must not exceed 26 inches in height when opened)
- Tents: note that tents of any size will NOT be permitted on the Amphitheater lawn or immediately in front of the Charles R. Wood Discovery Stage

Items not permitted
- Metal utensils
- Plastic tarps
- Lawn chairs over 43 inches in height when opened
- Tents on the Amphitheater lawn or immediately in front of the Charles R. Wood Discovery Stage
- Grills, cooking equipment, or any flame that uses a liquid, gas, or gel accelerant
- Laser pointers
- Drones
- Professional audio or video recording equipment
- Cameras with detachable lenses
- Bikes, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, etc.
- Pets (except ADA-approved service animals)
- Illegal drugs or substances
- Weapons of any kind

Ground rules
- Security procedure: all bags will be inspected, and all personnel will be searched via metal detectors. Bags include but are not limited to coolers, baskets, tote bags, purses, diaper bags, strollers, and other containers. Any item not permitted should be disposed of or returned to your vehicle.
- Smoking is permitted on the SPAC grounds in designated areas only. Please dispose of cigarette butts properly.
- Guests are welcome to bring blankets and umbrellas but should consider others; disruptive items may be asked to be removed.
- Reentry is permitted for SPAC-produced events; guests must obtain a reentry wristband from staff at the gates prior to exiting the venue.
- SPAC has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind, including but not limited to race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, and citizenship. Harassment includes stalking, verbal or physical intimidation, offensive verbal comments, physical assault and/or battery, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome physical attention. If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, report concerns to SPAC staff or security personnel.

Amphitheater house rules for classical performances
- Beverages are permitted in the amphitheater, but food is not.
- Guests arriving after the performance begins will not be seated until an appropriate opportunity at the discretion of House Staff.
- Please turn off or silence all mobile devices prior to the start of the program. If an emergency requires device use, please step outside the theater to avoid disturbing others.
- Video, photography, audio, or cell phone recording during performances is prohibited.