Visions of Humanity and Unity

Summermusik leads a commission consortium for a new composition inspired by the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, entitled “Visions of Humanity and Unity”. The form is a concerto-suite with interchangeable movements, and each movement is inspired by a certain phrase taken from the Declaration. The five confirmed composers—Mark O’Connor, Chanda Dancy, Avner Dorman, Zhou Tian, and Enrico Capela were selected based on their significant contributions to the orchestral canon. The suite is arranged for two
different ensemble sizes: chamber orchestra and piano quintet, which promotes a broad national consortium and guarantees continuing performances of the work past the anniversary year. The eight confirmed co-commissioners are the Long Beach Symphony, Spokane Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, Fairbanks Symphony, Northwest Bach Festival (Spokane, WA), El Paso Pro Musica, Mesa (AZ) Arts Center, and Sitka (AK) Music Festival.

The world premiere performance takes place on Saturday, August 8, and features Summermusik’s resident ensemble, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Eckart Preu. The composition is part of a program entitled “The Soundtrack of America” as part of Summermusik’s annual Summermusik Festival. Tickets will go on sale in April 2026.