Event Details – Georgia Premiere
The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Richard Prior, closes its season of Breaking Sound Barriers with the April 28 concert titled “250 Years of Being.” More than a celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary, this performance becomes a reflection on identity, heritage, and connection.
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
7:30 PM
Callaway Auditorium
TICKETS: LINK HERE
In honoring 250 years of American musical tradition, the program embraces the spirit of a nation often described as a melting pot—a place where voices, cultures, and influences come together to create something larger than themselves. From beloved patriotic works to music shaped by generations of American experience, the evening traces a journey of unity expressed through sound.
That idea finds a powerful parallel in the concert’s centerpiece: the Georgia Premiere of a concerto born from an extraordinary international collaboration.
Violinist and LSO Concertmaster Samuel Vargas Teixeira will perform Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, which was written by composer Andres Martin to showcase Vargas’ musical strengths. The work unites composer, soloist, and commissioner who are all from different parts of the world. They are brought together once again here in LaGrange, Georgia within an orchestra whose maestro and musicians also reflect a rich diversity of backgrounds. The result is not only a premiere, but a shared musical space where global voices converge.
In this way, the concert’s American theme expands outward: just as the nation’s musical identity has been shaped by many influences, so too is this work the product of a global exchange of ideas, artistry, and inspiration.
Program Highlights
The evening’s program offers a vibrant celebration of American musical tradition, weaving together iconic works that reflect the nation’s spirit, history, and enduring sense of identity.
Program includes:
- Fanfare for the Common Man – Aaron Copland
- Armed Forces Salute – arr. Bob Lowden
- Washington Post March – John Philip Sousa
- The Stars and Stripes Forever – John Philip Sousa
- America the Beautiful – Samuel A. Ward
- Savannah River Holiday – Ron Nelson
- Concerto for Violin and Orchestra – Andrés Martin
Featuring: Samuel Vargas Teixeira, violin
The program builds toward its culminating moment with Andrés Martin’s concerto, performed by Samuel Vargas Teixeira.
A Season Finale Like No Other
This concert brings the LSO’s 2025/2026 concert season to a powerful close. It offers an evening that is both celebratory and deeply reflective. It honors the journey of a nation shaped by many voices, while also embracing the idea that music continues to evolve through connection and shared expression.
You are invited—to listen, to reflect, and to experience music that connects across time and place.
Join us for this unforgettable season finale where history, heritage, and global artistry meet on one stage.
© LaGrange Symphony Orchestra 2025/2026 | All rights reserved | 706.882.0662 | Richard Prior, Music Director & Conductor
