QUENTON BLACHE | Habari Gani for Orchestra
STEWART GOODYEAR | Piano Concerto
BRITTANY GREEN | Testify!
CARLOS SIMON | Movements for Flute
ANTHONY KELLEY | Spirituals of Liberation
RUN TIME: 1 HR 30 MINUTES
*All programs subject to change
Playful. Resilient. Contemporary.
Transcendence explores music that reaches beyond boundaries—spiritual, emotional, and artistic. Quenton Blache’s Habari Gani opens the program with a title drawn from the Swahili greeting heard during Kwanzaa, setting a tone of reflection and community. Pianist and composer Stewart Goodyear takes the stage for his own Piano Concerto, a virtuosic work blending classical form with a contemporary voice. Our program continues with Brittany Green’s electrifying Testify! and Carlos Simon’s Movements for Flute, featuring WCO principal flute Brandon LePage, a work that merges expressive lyricism with modern rhythmic drive. We close with Anthony Kelley’s Spirituals of Liberation, drawing on the enduring power of spiritual traditions and their message of hope. Together, these works form a musical journey rising through reflection, celebration, and resilience.
Stewart Goodyear, piano
Proclaimed "a phenomenon" by the Los Angeles Times and "one of the best pianists of his generation" by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished concert pianist, improviser and composer. Mr. Goodyear has performed with, and has been commissioned by, many of the major orchestras and chamber music organizations around the world. Read Stewart's full bio here.
Brandon LePage, flute
Michigan based flutist Dr. Brandon LePage has held the Principal Flute position with the WCO since 2016. He is the child of two very musical parents and grew up on a healthy diet of Bach organ fugues, the Spice Girls, and a fabulous blend of many other musical genres. As an elementary school student, Brandon started his professional career as a member of the Children’s Chorus with the Michigan Opera Theatre (now called "Detroit Opera"), and since birth he has not stopped singing, dancing, or working hard to find any possible way to express himself through all musical means available. Read Brandon's full bio here.
Quenton Blache, composer
Quenton Blache is a cellist and composer based in Los Angeles. He has performed nationally and internationally as a soloist and chamber musician and is a current member of the Sphinx Virtuosi. He has won several competitions, including the University of Southern California (USC) Bach Competition in 2021 and Strings Concerto Competition in 2023. He soloed the Dvorak Concerto with the Peninsula Symphony in February 2022, and Bloch’s Schelomo with the USC Thornton Symphony in October 2023. He also served as a cello hand double and background musician actor in the Blumhouse Productions movie Nocturne (2020). Read Quenton's full bio here.
Brittany Green, composer
Brittany J. Green is a North Carolina-based composer, performer, and educator. Described as “a creative force of attention-seizing versatility” (The Washington Post) and “cinematic in the best sense” (Chicago Classical Review), Brittany’s music works to facilitate collaborative, intimate musical spaces that ignite visceral responses. The intersections between sound, video, movement, and text serves as the focal point of these musical spaces, often questioning and redefining the relationships between these three elements. Read Brittany's full bio here.
Anthony Kelley, composer
Anthony Kelley joined the Duke University music faculty in 2000 after serving as Composer-in-Residence with the Richmond Symphony for three years under a grant from Meet the Composer, Inc. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Duke University, and he earned a Ph.D. in Musical Composition from the University of California at Berkeley. Read Anthony's full bio here.
Carlos Simon, composer
Simon is the current Composer-in-Residence for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and frequently writes for the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera. Simon also holds the position of inaugural Composer Chair of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the first in the institution’s 143-year history. Read Carlos' full bio here.
PROGRAM
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What to Expect
Pre-Concert Talk
Join us to learn more from Music Director Andrew Sewell and the composers about tonight's program
Doors: 6:00 PM
Talk: 6:30 - 7:00 PM
Wisconsin Studio, Third Floor Overture Center
What to Wear
Come as you are!
Music is all about the senses, so we want you to be comfortable while you enjoy it. Most of our attendees wear anything from jeans to dressy clothes. Learn more about the concert experience.
Getting Here
Map, directions, and parking information to help you plan your evening.
Beverages
Cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages are available within the Capitol Theater lobby. This performance is recorded LIVE! Beverages will not be allowed into the theater to minimize noise disruptions.
Post-Concert Party
Join us for our post-concert party and meet someone new! As an attendee, you'll receive our 'Know before you go' email so you can stress less about the details, and enjoy yourself more.
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