Produced in collaboration with Four Larks, our Orchestra’s first SESSION of the 2018-19 season featured the world premiere of “The Body Overcome” by Derrick Spiva Jr., hindustani vocalist Saili Oak, a US premiere by composer Juan Pablo Contreras and works by Conor Brown, Salina Fisher and Reena Esmail.

Derrick Spiva Jr.
Artist-Educator and Composer Derrick Spiva Jr.

“These composers and their music serve as bridges between musical traditions, emphasizing the connections between things that may initially appear to be dissimilar,” says Derrick, who served as our Composer In Residence in the 2015-16 season and is noted for conducting, composing and teaching styles that reflect the multicultural atmosphere of Los Angeles, where he lives and works.

SESSION continues in Winter 2019 with conductor/composer Matthias Pintscher and in spring 2019 with conductor/composer and wild Up director Christopher Rountree, whose work stands at the intersection of classical music, new music, performance art and pop.

Photos by Michelle Shiers Photography.

SESSION is made possible by Ruth L. Eliel & Bill Cooney, Howard & Judith Jelinek, Leslie Lassiter, Clare Baren & David Dwiggins, NancyBell Coe & William Burke and Fariba Ghaffari.