Winter People, Summer People by Dr. George E. Allen with Main Line Symphony Orchestra
The MLSO, under music director Don Liuzzi, and concertmaster Paul Roby, perform Summer People, Winter People, a work commissioned by the MLSO composed by revered Philadelphia public school music teacher and university professor, Dr. George E. Allen. Dr. Allen described it as an "autobiographical sketch of former music magnet students at Overbook High School in West Philadelphia" where Dr. Allen taught for 30 years. He wrote the libretto as a declaration of the oneness of humanity; the endeavor to overcome the negative tendencies of human kind - "winter people."
The piece is scored for orchestra, choir, jazz quintet, and soprano solo. The work includes sections of various jazz grooves including moderate swing, up-tempo bebop, reggae, and jazz waltz. The work features piano throughout, with significant solo space accorded alto saxophone and steel pan.. The text is by Nneka [Patricia Ford]. Soloists (all but bassist Kevin MacConnell are Dr. Allen's former students, now professional musicians in the NYC and Phila region): ELEW (Eric Lewis), piano; Vincent W. Rutland, drums; Marc Johnson, steel pan; Louis Taylor, alto saxophone; Kevin MacConnell, electric bass; and Ina Ruth Allen, soprano. The choir is a combination of members of the choir of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, and the Philadelphia Chorale - all under the direction of Jay Fluellen.
Please join us to hear another MLSO commissioned piece, by Jay Fluellen, to be premiered at MLSO's winter concert at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church on February 23, 2024: a Mass for Becoming Light.
Video and editing by Alex Kruchoski, audio by A. Kruchoski and Chris Zimmerman.
Winter People, Summer People is an original, copyrighted work by Dr. George E. Allen ©2023 who reserves all rights to the work. Dr. Allen granted MLSO limited permission to perform and to record the work for posting on youtube. No portion of the work, including the video and audio posted here, may be performed, copied, reproduced in any form, or used for any purpose without the express permission of the copyright holder.