Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey to perform tribute to Abraham Lincoln May 3

The Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey caps off its 2014-15 season on May 3 with a concert in honor of Abraham Lincoln, 150 years after his assassination.  
 
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Jennifer Higdon’s “Dooryard Bloom” will be paired with Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 3” (Sinfonia Eroica or Heroic Symphony). The concert will feature acclaimed baritone, Jorell Williams. 
 
Higdon’s piece for orchestra and baritone is based on Walt Whitman’s, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”. 
 
Whitman wrote his 207-line poem in 1865 in response to both Lincoln’s murder and the ravages of the American Civil War. 
 
Lincoln was the first U.S. president to be assassinated.  A divided America, already devastated by a four-year conflict that amounted to over 700,000 casualties, was plunged into profound grief at the news.   
 
PSNJ’s music director, Matthew Oberstein will talk about the story behind the music in a special pre-concert talk one hour before the performance.
 
Sunday, May 3, 3 p.m. (pre-concert talk 2 p.m.) – Eastern Center for the Performing Arts, 1401 Laurel Oak Rd., Voorhees, N.J.
 
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This post is part of our South Jersey Events Listing