Indiana State University Newsroom

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- "Appalachian Spring," Aaron Copland's most characteristic and recognizable work, will be performed by the Indiana State University Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in Tilson Auditorium.

Millions watched as Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma performed John Williams' "Air and Simple Gifts" at President Barak Obama's inauguration.

The beautiful Shaker melody "Simple Gifts" was incorporated even more thoroughly by Copland 64 years earlier in his ballet "Appalachian Spring," written in 1945 for Martha Graham.

The orchestra, under the direction of William Davis, will perform the suite that Copland compiled from music for the complete ballet in addition to Josef Haydn's "Symphony #96," the so-called "Miracle" symphony, based on the story that at the premiere in 1791, a chandelier on the ceiling of the concert hall fell, but the audience dodged it because they had rushed the stage in their post-performance enthusiasm. It is now believed that this actually happened three years later, at the premiere of the Symphony #102, but the nickname will remain, because it has been used for 200 years!

Also on the concert is the First Movement of Felix Mendelssohn's "Piano Concerto #1," with a winner of the annual Paul W. Hagan Concerto/Aria Auditions, Heidi Yoder, of Terre Haute, as soloist.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 812-237-2771.

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Contact: William Davis, associate professor of music, 812-237-2742 or william.davis@indstate.edu 

Writer: Paula Meyer, ISU Communications & Marketing, 812-237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu