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Follow on Google News | Jazz Vocalist / Educator Lenora Helm Hammonds Invited To Perform In Concert with Durham SymphonyUnique Concert to Blend the Genres of Jazz and Classical Saluting Jazz Music and Musicians from North Carolina “Durham Symphony and All That Jazz” Takes Place @ the Carolina Theater on Sunday, March 2nd
By: Lenora Helm Hammonds "I am beyond ecstatic for the opportunity to work with Maestro Curry and the DSO. And, the icing on the cake is the privilege to sing an arrangement written for me by the very talented saxophonist/ Maestro William Henry Curry, Principal Conductor of the 68-member Durham Symphony Orchestra and a prominent African-American in this country’s classical music realm, states, “Lenora Helm is a local treasure as an educator, artist and inspirational person. She introduced herself to me a year or so ago. I enjoyed two of her jazz recordings and have just been waiting for the perfect opportunity to feature her with the symphony. I’m thrilled she was willing and available for this.” Now celebrating his fifth year with the DSO and his 18th season with the North Carolina Symphony, Curry continues, “One of my missions on every program is to play at least one piece by an American composer. American audiences love American music even if you pair it with Beethoven. I’ve been a performer for more than 45 years so I know what the audience likes. I exhibited this kind of Third Stream fusion at my very first concert here as Musical Director in a program that featured Gershwin as well as Louis Moreau Gottschalk whose music used melodic cells from plantation music and spirituals alongside Chopin and Schuman – a sensation in Europe. American symphony orchestras should feature American composers. When audiences have an opportunity to witness it, they love it.” DSO Executive Director Mary Sherk details, “The genesis of this concert came a year ago. We realized the incredible connections between orchestras and jazz composed of people here in N.C. This concert will illuminate that for the public. It is important to note we could not have done this without a grant from the North Carolina State Arts Council to which we are grateful and indebted. Arts councils have been cutting back on the state level so this is great. It’s a competitive process but they evaluated this as worthy.” Noting the escalation of the event, Brett Chambers, Board of Directors President of the Durham Symphony Orchestra enthuses, “This has turned into a bigger thing than was first pitched. The idea is to create community engagement with the orchestra instead of just giving a concert. People love the arts here so there will be a pre-concert chat and a meet and greet afterward. We are shooting for this to become a signature annual event.” Speaking on the participation of Lenora Helm, Chambers concludes, “I’ve seen her perform a number of times and also appreciate the way she works with students. I brought her in, Maestro Curry was impressed, Lenora suggested Brian Horton as an arranger and now he is on the program. She is a wonderful artist and human being whose sincerity and passion for all she does shines through in her music.” Durham Symphony Orchestra and All That Jazz also features singers Lois Deloatch and Rozlyn Sorrell, saxophonist Greg Gelb, jazz/classical bassist John Brown and his trio. The Carolina Theatre is located at 309 West Morgan Street Durham, North Carolina. Concert begins at 3pm Sunday March 2nd with a pre-concert chat at 2:30pm with “Composer- For more information on Lenora Helm Hammonds, please contact: J’ai St. Laurent-Smyth | Inque Public Relations | 609.228.8600 inquepr@comcast.net | inquepr@gmail.com www.lenorahelm.com To view Lenora Helm’s EPK – check out - http://youtu.be/ www.durhamsymphony.org End
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