Carmel Symphony Orchestra opens 50th season with ‘HORIZONS’

David Commanday begins his tenure as Music Director with music by Copland, Grofé & Dvořák

The Carmel Symphony Orchestra (CSO) will open its 50th season with HORIZONS: The Promise of a Vast Land at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, in the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts.

The concert will mark David Commanday’s first appearance as the orchestra’s Music Director. Aa pre-concert talk to discover the meaning behind the music will take place from 6:20 to 6:40 p.m. in the Robert Adams Room.

“Carmel has grown tremendously over the past 50 years, becoming a first-class community in which the arts play a central role,” CSO Board Chair Jerry Torr said. “The Carmel Symphony Orchestra is proud to have been part of that growth and of the development of our world-class cultural facilities. As we celebrate our Golden Anniversary, we look forward to inspiring a new generation growing up with these extraordinary opportunities.”

The Oct. 10 concert will open with Aaron Copland’s stirring Fanfare for the Common Man, followed by three vividly descriptive movements from Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite. The program culminates in Antonín Dvořák’s deeply expressive Cello Concerto in B minor, composed during the Czech composer’s years in America and filled with both expansive lyricism and poignant longing for his homeland. A special feature of the evening’s program will be the performance of Fanfare for a New Era, composed by Torr in the 1980s.

Featured cellist Alexander Hersh brings exceptional artistry to this masterwork. A top laureate of the 2024 Naumburg International Cello Competition, Hersh made his Carnegie Hall recital debut in 2022 and has appeared with major orchestras and at leading chamber-music festivals around the world. His combination of technical command, musical imagination and expressive depth makes him an ideal interpreter of Dvořák’s richly emotional concerto.

“I am tremendously excited to open both this anniversary season and my tenure as Music Director with a program of such sweep and emotional power,” Commanday said. “From the nobility of Copland’s Fanfare and the brilliant colors and vivid imagery of Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite to the passion, tenderness and heroism of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, this music takes us on an extraordinary journey. The musicians of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and I warmly invite longtime friends and first-time concertgoers alike to experience these great works in the magnificent setting and acoustics of the Palladium.”

The CSO’s 50th-season theme is “Horizons to Heroes – A Season of Celebration.” Throughout the season, the orchestra will explore music ranging from sweeping landscapes to deeply human stories, honoring the richness of music shaped in America – by composers born here and by those inspired by its character and possibilities.

Explore the full season at CarmelSymphony.org.

Ticket information

To make classical music more accessible to the community, the CSO has family-friendly ticket pricing. In addition, there are special ticket prices for students ($15 for age 18 and younger), young adults ($30 for under age 30), and military ($14.50 for single military ticket). These are not discount codes. Pricing for these tickets show up after a seat selection has been made when you order online at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing arts. Click here to buy tickets. You may also call the Fifth Third Bank Box Office at (317) 843-3800.

David Commanday’s background

With a career spanning three continents, Maestro David Commanday is celebrated for delivering dynamic, powerful performances that deeply resonate with audiences. Critics consistently praise his ability to spark genuine emotion and share his love for music from the podium.

Commanday launched his conducting journey as Music Director of the Boston Ballet, touring across Europe and Asia, and going on to conduct renowned ensembles including the Pro Arte Orchestra of Vienna, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the American Symphony Orchestra.

A highly sought-after ballet conductor, he has led performances with the Joffrey Ballet, Ballet West, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. During his time as Music Director of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Commanday guided the group to national prominence, earning three ASCAP awards for adventurous programming and embarking on four international tours. He has also shared his expertise in academia, serving on the faculties of MIT, Boston University, Eureka College, and his alma mater, Harvard University, where he graduated cum laude. Globally, the Singapore Ministry of Music invited him for four annual residencies to direct the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, judge the Singapore National Youth Festival, and lead masterclasses in conducting, chamber music, and cello.

Beyond conducting, Commanday is an accomplished cellist who has performed alongside greats like Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, Matt Haimovitz, and Michael Stephen Brown. His early experience as principal cellist at Tanglewood – playing under legends like Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and Aaron Copland – sparked his passion for conducting. He went on to hone his craft at the University of Vienna under Otmar Suitner, General Musik Direktor of the Berlin State Opera, earning the Austrian Staatsdiplom in orchestral conducting with highest distinction.