By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Americans have responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a number of ways, with many Americans distancing themselves from Russia.
That includes the St. Joseph Symphony.
Conductor Chris Kelts says the symphony is no longer performing Stories from Russia, the original title for this evening’s concert at the Missouri Theater.
“We decided that we would just add an extra level of sensitivity to that situation,” Kelts tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “The program remains the same. The title is ‘Stories of Peter and Scheherazade’ and those two names speak directly to the pieces that we’ll play this weekend.”
Including the famous Peter and the Wolf.
Kelts says the backgrounds of the composers illustrate two different, but similarly tragic eras of Russia.
“(Nikolai) Rimsky-Korsakov is living in Czarist Russia with a great influence from Western Europe and (Sergei) Prokofiev is fighting against the grain in a Stalin, communist USSR at that time.”
The St. Joseph Symphony concert will begin at 7:30 tonight at the Missouri Theater.
Kelts says orchestral music wouldn’t be what it is today without music from Russia.
Find more information by clicking here for the St. Joseph Symphony website.