Soloist Hannah Ji
Celebrate the start of the Bozeman Symphony 2025/26 season with the vibrant spirit of American music.
Wynton Marsalis’ Violin Concerto in D Major, performed by the talented violinist Hannah Ji, is a dynamic work, inspired by the travels of renowned violinist and educator Nicola Benedetti. The four movements, each revealing a different facet of Benedetti’s dream, showcase Marsalis’ dazzling, storytelling-inspired composition. Marsalis’ creative, nontraditional approach evokes both drama and historical/cultural experiences of Black America. This shows up in the Rhapsody’s police whistle and sirens heard in swirling string patterns. The wacky, off-kilter Rondo Burlesque pays homage to Marsalis’ hometown, New Orleans, with its sophisticated Expressionistic episodes, theatrical flourishes, chuckling solo violin, an extensive cadenza, and dynamic brasses. In the Blues, listen for the languid, deliberate pace of the solo violin line, with its signature blue notes (notes that slide deliberately between pitches). Stamping feet and clapping hands open the Hootenanny, with its propulsively joyful, off-beat accents and the soloist’s down-home blue-note melodies.
In the second half of the performance, the rich, evocative soundscapes of Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances are brought to life. As the only piece Rachmaninoff composed entirely in the United States, Symphonic Dances is a powerful blend of mystery, nostalgia, and exhilarating energy, evoking his experience of America. This dramatic orchestral suite brims with hauntingly beautiful melodies, mysterious waltzes, and electrifying rhythms, culminating in a triumphant, virtuosic finale.
The soloist, Hannah Ji, has served as Assistant Concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since 2023 after serving as a member of the first violin section since 2018. Ji’s playing has been hailed by critics as “engaging, mature, well thought-out, and honed down to the finest details” (głos na Wieniawskiego, Polish Radio Journal).
Bozeman Symphony’s first concert of the season will take place on September 20 and 21 at the Willson Auditorium in Bozeman. Tickets can be found on their website.