CONCERT
The New World
Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.
California Theatre,
San Jose, CA
Concert Length
Approx. 1 hr 50 min. with intermission
Music Notes occur one hour prior to
the concert in the auditorium.
Artists
Ken-David Masur, conductor
Joyce Yang, piano
Symphony San Jose
Program
Aaron Copland
Billy the Kid Suite
Jonathan Leshnoff
Rhapsody on America (co-commissioned by Symphony San Jose)
Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World")
About This Performance
Celebrate 250 years of the American spirit with music that reflects the nation’s past, present, and promise.
Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid has become synonymous with the American West. Drawing on folk tunes, wide-open harmonies, and cinematic energy, Copland captures the myth, optimism, and rugged individualism that helped shape the American imagination.
Pianist Joyce Yang, known for her brilliance, depth, and expressive power, delivers the Bay-area premiere of Jonathan Leshnoff’s Rhapsody on America—a lyrical meditation on the American spirit that weaves together sweeping virtuosity, intimate reflection, and propulsive rhythmic energy.
Antonín Dvořák’s greatest work, his New World Symphony, was composed during his time in the United States. Inspired by American landscapes and musical traditions, this symphony remains a profound reflection of cultural identity, hope, and discovery—ideas at the very core of the American experiment.
