Review: Dallas Symphony in Classical Voice North America
New England Dreaming: Small City’s Dedication Has Orchestra Thriving
By Paul Robinson. October 25, 2024
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Can a city of 155,000 support a professional orchestra? Yes, indeed. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra in Massachusetts has been doing it for more than 80 years. On Oct. 19, the orchestra opened its 2024-25 season at Symphony Hall with its newly appointed artistic adviser, Mei-Ann Chen, leading a program that drew on its regional roots and exercised its artistic imagination.
McDermott played brilliantly throughout, and Chen and the orchestra were with her every step of the way. McDermott will play the concerto again Nov. 1-3 with the Dallas Symphony. The Nov. 3 performance will be part of a Women in Classical Music Symposium. In Springfield, after playing the Beach concerto, McDermott was deservedly called back for an encore. She gave us sparkling versions of two movements from one of Bach’s English Suites.
Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott and conductor Mei-Ann Chen took bows after their performance of Amy Beach’s Piano Concerto with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. (Photos by Silver Photography)