On January 11, the South Carolina Philharmonic, under the direction of Morihiko Nakahara, will premiere John Fitz Rogers’s newest orchestral work The Passing Sun. Commissioned by the SC Phil, Fitz Rogers composed the work in honor of the SC Philharmonic’s 50thAnniversary celebration. Inspired by the constancy of the sun and the ephemeral nature of shifting bands of light, the work – admittedly not a rambunctious fanfare – mirrors the growth and development of the SC Phil since its inception: faces have changed, programs and venues have changed, but the entity and mission of the SC Philharmonic remains. A highly coloristic and spirited work still, The Passing Sun promises contemplation, awe, and spiritual joy. The piece is sponsored in memory of the late local arts community stalwart Steve Morrison. Also on the program for the 11th are works by Brahms and Beethoven. Of Brahms, the first piano concerto, with Alessio Bax as piano soloist; of Beethoven, the iconoclastic and no-introduction-necessary 5th Symphony.
The concert begins at 7:30 PM at the Koger Center for the Arts, Saturday, January 11, 2014. Tickets are available through both the SC Philharmonic and Koger Center’s websites.
-Tom Dempster