Prokofiev #5 & David Myles

PEI Symphony Orchestra – November 25, 2019

 

A Few Things You Might Want to Know

 

David Myles

“The Folksy finesse of James Taylor … the cool jazz of Chet Baker …the raucous rock of Chuck Berry” – The Bluegrass Situation.

Check out more about David and his music at his website.  

 

 

 

 


Some Thoughts From Our Maestro 

We asked Maestro Mark Shapiro, our Music Director, to give us his thoughts on the Prokofiev 5 and our “Roots” concerts.

There are so many reasons for PEISO to be playing Prokofiev 5 at this time.   For starters, it’s a “bucket list” piece for orchestras, endlessly exhilarating to play as well as to hear.  The orchestration is dazzlingly inventive throughout.  No instrument is neglected or underused.  The music’s bright optimism is just what we need now.  Yet there is an audible feeling of looking not only jauntily ahead but also warily over one’s shoulder.  The exuberance is real, but never without a tincture of irony.  We are aware of darker currents under the surface; this awareness deepens and enriches our listening experience.

I think the choice of Prokofiev 5 to complement David Myles was partly inspired by the way Myles presents himself visually as well as sonically.  He favours colors that are ultra-bright and vivid — primary, almost childlike — yet there’s something in his styling that telegraphs knowingness and irony.

“Roots” artists in general are warmly welcome at PEISO’s musical table.  We readily perceive the connections and commonalities.  Each of us communicates stories and evokes feelings through the medium of sound.   The difference may be thought of as primarily one of scale.  Orchestral movements and works tend to be longer and to call for a specifically sustained attentiveness, whereas narrative in roots music is either contained within one song or sustained across a group of songs.

Mark Shapiro and our guest David Myles will be sharing their thoughts and insights at our pre-concert talk at 1:30 pm on concert day in Studio #1 at the Confederation Centre for the Arts.

Our Programme Notes are researched and compiled by Will Hobbs.

 

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