The Federal Way Symphony opens their season at 2 p.m. Oct. 2 with two iconic works – “Schuman’s Piano Concerto” and Sibelius’ “Symphony no. 2” at St. Luke’s Church (515 S. 312th St.).
Tickets and additional information are available at www.federalwaysymphony.org. Ticket prices for adults are $33 pre-sale and $36 at the door, for seniors (60 and over) $29 pre-sale and $32 at the door, for students (19 and older) $15, and for youth (18 and under) no charge.
Dr. William Chapman Nyaho will perform, as a soloist, “Schuman’s Piano Concerto.” This is the only concerto composed by Schuman, and it originally premiered in 1846, performed by his wife Clara Schuman in Leipzig. Robert Schuman is considered one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era (late 18th and early 19th century) and composed four symphonies, an opera, chamber music and choral works, but only one piano concerto.
Dr. Nyaho, a Ghanian-American, is a nationally and internationally known classical pianist who resides in Seattle. In addition to his classical performances, Dr. Nyaho is passionate about African music and has published and lectured on this subject throughout the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Nyaho was trained in Oxford, Geneva, Austin and at the Eastman School of Music
Jean Sibelius’s “Symphony no. 2 is a large, complex work that few orchestras dare to perform. Sibelius is closely identified with Finnish independence; he composed music at the time Finland separated from Russia during the Bolshevik revolution, and is considered a national hero. Sibelius composed during the late Romantic and early Modern era (late 19th and early 20th).
“Symphony no. 2” premiered in Helsinki in 1902 at the same time Russia placed sanctions on the Finnish language and culture. Its grand finale quickly become associated with Finland’s struggles to break away from Russia and was dubbed the “Symphony of Independence.”
Sibelius is considered a national hero, and his image was on the 100 mark note until 2001 when Finland became part of the EU and adopted the Euro. His birthday, Dec. 8, is Flag Day in Finland and is also called the Day of Finnish Music.
