The Pittsburgh Symphony closes their season with a vibrant American celebration

United States Various: Augustin Hadelich (violin), Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre dancers, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra / Manfred Honeck (conductor). Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, 19.6.2026. (SJ)

Michael Daugherty – Dancing in the Streets
Barber – Violin Concerto, Op.14
Encore: Robert Schumann – Träumerei from Kinderszenen, Op.15, No.7 (transcribed by Hadelich)
Jessie Montgomery – Strum
Copland – Suite from Appalachian Spring (1945 version)

This weekend saw the Pittsburgh Symphony season come to a vivid close in the second of two America250 programs that explored the broad diversity of American orchestral music. The concert opened with a world premiere by Michael Daugherty, a composer the PSO has championed in recent seasons. Titled Dancing in the Streets, the piece’s three interconnected movements capture the spirit and diversity of American dance, with each an ode to a different figure.

The opening ‘Got to Dance!’ is a nod to Gene Kelly who was a Pittsburgh native. A brassy beginning was a sign of this boisterous, high-octane affair. The PSO gave Daugherty’s colorfully orchestrated score a vigorous workout although in a more inward moment a sultry trumpet solo transported one to a jazz hall in the wee hours of the morning. ‘Martha’s Maze’ acknowledged Martha Graham, another Pittsburgh native, whose namesake dance company premiered Copland’s Appalachian Spring (fittingly on the latter half of this program). Angular gestures here suggested a strident, mid-century modernism.

The third movement, ‘Dance a Little Longer’, evoked Woody Guthrie and his wife, Marjorie – who danced for Graham in the premiere of the Copland ballet. The familiar ‘This Land is Your Land’ was introduced in a solo passage from concertmaster David McCarroll, colored by piquant double stops. The tune appeared in a multitude of guises across the orchestra, some quietly reflective, some searingly romantic, before building to a high-intensity close.

Barber’s Violin Concerto brought soloist Augustin Hadelich back to Heinz Hall. Hadelich purveyed a sweetly rich tone in the lyrical opening with artfully shaped phrases supported by the orchestra’s accompaniment. In the deeply felt Andante that followed, an eloquent oboe solo was a standout, and the music started gently but burned with intensity in more climactic moments. A perpetual-motion finale saw the violinist sail through the rapid passages with a deft touch. As an encore, Hadelich introduced his own transcription of Robert Schumann’s Träumerei. Its layers faithfully evoked the intricacies of the original for piano, ending on a dreamy high in the instrument’s upper register.

True to its name, Jessie Montgomery’s Strum for string orchestra opened with the strumming of the violas. Written in 2006, it has become one of her most performed works. A piece of immediate appeal, its warmth and vitality provided a vibrant showcase for the Pittsburgh strings.

Copland’s Appalachian Spring was presented in its leaner 1945 suite. This performance saw the PSO in an inspired collaboration with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre which afforded the opportunity to see the work as the dance piece the composer had conceived. Choreographed by Mark Godden, a cast of 10 dancers (5 men, 5 women) added a striking visual component to the performance.

Gentle, earthy beginnings evoked the 19th-century Pennsylvania town in which the ballet was set and gave the work a certain local resonance. This was music meant to be danced to, and its rhythms were brought to life by the graceful movements of the ballet troupe. The initial surfacing of the ‘Simple Gifts’ hymn in the clarinet was especially touching, in due course carried by the entire orchestra, only to retreat to a close of quiet dignity.

Sam Jacobson

Featured Image: Dancers from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Pittsburgh Symphony in Appalachian Spring © Josh Milteer