New Philharmonia Orchestra Will Honor Black History Month With Equality And Triumph Concert

New Philharmonia Orchestra, led by Principal Conductor Jorge Soto, will honor Black History Month with Equality and Triumph, a concert that showcases Lee Hoiby's “I Have a Dream,” on February 24th and 25th at Newton's Grace Episcopal Church. Tickets and information are available at newphil.org.   

 

Hoiby's work is a musical setting of Martin Luther King's historic speech celebrating the 60th anniversary of that remarkable moment in history  Noted baritone Philip Lima will be the soloist singing “I Have a Dream” as well as Aaron Copland's “Old American Songs” with New Philharmonia Orchestra.  The program will also include a performance of Beethoven's celebrated Symphony No. 3, “Eroica.” 

 

Lima has regularly garnered critical acclaim for his performances on both concert and operatic stages: “His singing was glorious” (The Boston Globe) – “vibrant baritone and a commanding presence” (Cleveland The Plain Dealer) – “keen musicianship along with total dramatic intention.” (Opera News Online). 

 

He has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops and over seventy orchestras, choral societies, and concert series across the United States, Korea, and Ukraine.  Mr. Lima is featured on the recording of pioneering African-American composer Florence Price's Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight that won the 2020 American Prize for the Performance of American Music. He is the Assistant Chair of Berklee College of Music's Voice Department. 

Born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Maestro Soto is a product of El Sistema, an innovative program that uses classical music as a vehicle for social change. He began his musical studies in Venezuela at the Vicente Emilio Sojo State Conservatory, later studying violin at the Latin American Academy of Violin under Rhio Sanchez and Joseì Francisco Del Castillo. Mr. Soto graduated with a Master of Music degree in conducting from the New England Conservatory and has conducted across New England, in New York at the UN and in Venezuela. 

The New Philharmonia Orchestra, founded in 1995, is a 75-member nonprofessional regional orchestra based in Newton. The orchestra's mission to perform "music for all" has been advanced by presenting programs of diverse repertoires of classical music for the enjoyment of audiences of all ages and experiences. The orchestra also strives to provide its nonprofessional players the opportunity to achieve a high level of ensemble performance not otherwise available. New Philharmonia is a member of the Newton Cultural Alliance. 

 

Equality and Triumph, Saturday February 24th at 7:30 PM and Sunday February 25th at 3:00 PM is presented by New Philharmonia Orchestra at Grace Episcopal Church 76 Eldredge St. in Newton Corner. Tickets and information can be found at newphil.org. 

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