MainStage Concert: Harboring Hope

WHCO's 2026–2027 season, Resilience, concludes with Harboring Hope, a celebration of the many ways music can sustain, uplift, and unite.

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus
• Myroslav Skoryk: Melody
• Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 6, "Celestial Gate"
• Joan Tower: Made in America

This concert will be approximately 1hr, no intermission. Reception with the musicians to follow.

Harboring Hope begins with Beethoven's Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus. An overture to Beethoven's only full-length ballet, it celebrates the mythic hero who brought fire and knowledge to humanity, symbolizing the transformative power of perseverance, creativity, and enlightenment. Its vibrant energy and triumphant spirit reflect themes of resilience and hope, reminding us that progress and renewal are often born from courage in the face of adversity.

Composed in 1982 by Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk, Melody for string orchestra has become a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and national identity. Its hauntingly beautiful lyricism conveys both profound sorrow and enduring hope, offering a powerful reflection on the human capacity to persevere through loss and hardship.

Symphony No. 6, "Celestial Gate" by Alan Hovhaness evokes the composer's signature blend of mysticism, simplicity, and spiritual transcendence. Through expansive, chant-like melodies and luminous textures, the work suggests a meditative passage between earthly and celestial realms, reflecting Hovhaness's enduring vision of music as a path to the divine.

We conclude our season of Resilience with Joan Tower's Made in America. Bold and celebratory, it is a powerful reflection on resilience and optimism, capturing the spirit of perseverance through its driving rhythms and vivid colors. Its main theme is derived from the melody to "America the Beautiful," and though written in 2004, the work resonates anew in the context of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, offering a musical portrait of struggle, endurance, and hope for the future.

PHOTOS & RECORDING: This event may be recorded, and video and photos may be posted on our website, social media, and elsewhere. If you would prefer not to be visible, please let a WHCO team member know.

REFUND POLICY: Please note that WHCO does not offer refunds for tickets. You may donate them to WHCO for a tax credit, contact us for a credit for a future concert, or consider gifting them to a friend or family member as a way to share the music and support WHCO.