Tribute to The Marquis de Lafayette
On September 23, 2025, history will be made in LaGrange, Georgia. The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra (LSO) will open its season with the world premiere of Lafayette: A Hero of Two Worlds, a striking new composition by Dr. Richard Prior, Music Director and Conductor of the orchestra. Commissioned by the Lafayette Alliance to commemorate the anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s national tour, this notable work brings to life the story of a man who dedicated his life to both the American and French causes for liberty.
A World Premiere Born in LaGrange
World premieres are rare and momentous occasions in the symphonic world, and this one is particularly significant. Dr. Prior’s reputation as a composer is well-established on the international stage. His orchestral music has been performed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the orchestras of Chicago, Baltimore, Charlotte, and at major festivals in Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Utah and beyond. Internationally, his music has been heard across Europe, in the United Kingdom and even as far afield as with the Ukraine National Symphony and the Cairo National Symphony, Egypt.
Whether composing for the concert hall, film, or dance, with his keen sense of drama and lyricism, Prior’s orchestral, choral, and chamber music compositions have drawn critical acclaim for their emotional depth and accessibility. Lafayette: A Hero of Two Worlds has every hallmark of becoming another major addition to the modern symphonic repertoire, with the potential to reach audiences far beyond LaGrange.
The concert, fittingly titled “Powerful Partnerships”, will showcase how the legacy of Lafayette—beloved both in America and France—still resonates today. This world premiere is not only a local cultural milestone but also a work of art with the promise to travel, to inspire, and perhaps even to garner recognition in prestigious circles of music awards and accolades. It is a testament to how LaGrange, through vision and collaboration, is contributing something of true artistic significance to the broader world of classical music.
LSO Opens New Season in a Big Way
For the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, this event marks more than just the start of a new season—it is the unveiling of a piece that could carry the name of LaGrange onto the global stage. Audiences will be the very first to experience a work that has the power to make history in more ways than one.
On September 23rd, witness the birth of a masterpiece. Experience the world premiere of Dr. Richard Prior’s Lafayette: A Hero of Two Worlds, and be part of a moment that may one day be remembered not only as a triumph for LaGrange, but as a landmark in the world of music.
© LaGrange Symphony Orchestra 2025/2026 | All rights reserved | 706.882.0662 | Richard Prior, Music Director & Conductor
