New England Conservatory Presents the NEC Philharmonia and Symphonic Choir in the New England Premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Conquest Requiem'

New England Conservatory Presents the NEC Philharmonia and Symphonic Choir in the New England Premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Conquest Requiem,”  Lutoslawski’s Concerto for Orchestra, and Brahms’ Tragic Overture

Conducted by Hugh Wolff on April 26 at Symphony Hall

New England Conservatory (NEC) returns to Symphony Hall for the first time since 2018 in a wide-reaching program of orchestral and choral works. NEC Philharmonia and Symphonic Choir perform the New England premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Conquest Requiem” with vocal soloists soprano YeonJae Cho '24 AD and baritone Libang Wang '23 MM. The performance also includes Lutoslawski’s Concerto for Orchestra, and Brahms’ Tragic Overture.

Taking place on April 26 at 7:30pm at Symphony Hall, tickets are $20-25 and may be purchased at https://www.bso.org/events/nec-philharmonia-april-26.

For full performance information, visit: https://necmusic.edu/events/nec-symphony-hall-philharmonia-symphonic-choir-hugh-wolff-brahms-frank-lutoslawski

Hugh Wolff, the Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood Director of Orchestras and Chair of Orchestral Conducting, says “The New England Conservatory Philharmonia is thrilled to be returning to Boston’s Symphony Hall after five years. The program features the Boston premiere of a major new work, a 20th century showpiece, and a 19th century classic – beautifully representing NEC’s mission and its talented students.

Johannes Brahms’ Tragic Overture sets the tone for Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Conquest Requiem.” The composer, whose works have been performed worldwide, is interested in the intersection of many cultures, reflecting her own Peruvian, Chinese, and Lithuanian Jewish heritage. This work – for full orchestra, chorus, and soprano and baritone soloists – mixes the Latin Requiem Mass with indigenous Nahuatl poetry and Spanish texts to explore the complex story of the Spanish conquest of Central America. Written in 2017, this will be the Boston premiere. Witold Lutoslawski’s Concerto For Orchestra – music that showcases every section of the orchestra – promises to bring this unique concert to a rousing conclusion.”

Gabriela Lena Frank’s composer note on the “Conquest Requiem”:

Much has been written of the violent meeting of the Old and New Worlds that produced the Americas — North, Central, and South — known to the world today. Over the centuries since, key figures have emerged — conquistadores Cristoforo Colombo, Hernán Cortés, and Francisco Pizarro; chroniclers Bernal Díaz del Castillo, the native Garcilaso de la Vega, and the Dominican friar Bartolomé de las Casas — as especially emblematic of the cataclysm that was the Conquest. These men and countless others bore witness and, oftentimes, great responsibility for the death and destruction of entire societies while simultaneously having a hand in the birth of new mestizo (mixed-race) civilizations.

Against such grand historical strokes, the stories of ordinary people are easily swept away but for the efforts of creative imagination, employed here in the Conquest Requiem. This piece is inspired by the true story of Malinche, a Nahua woman from the Gulf Coast of Mexico who was given to the Spaniards as a young slave. Malinche’s ever-evolving prowess as an interpreter of her native Nahuatl, various Mayan dialects, and Spanish elevated her position such that she would convert to Christianity and become mistress to Cortés during his war against the Aztecs. She would later give birth to their son Martín, one of the first mestizos of the New World.

While Malinche has been conflated with Aztec legends, she has been variously viewed as feminist hero who saved countless lives, treacherous villain who facilitated genocide, conflicted victim of forces beyond her control, or as symbolic mother of the new mestizo people.

In the “Conquest Requiem,” Malinche’s story is the linchpin for the juxtaposition of traditional liturgical verses from the Latin Mass for the Dead against Nahua poetry as chronicled from the mouths of fallen indigenous princes. Newly composed Spanish words from playwright/poet Nilo Cruz round out the text.

— Gabriela Lena Frank

 *****

Calendar Listing Information

NEC Philharmonia, Symphonic Choir Hugh Wolff: Brahms, Frank, Lutoslawski
Wednesday, April 26 | 7:30 p.m.
Symphony Hall | 301 Massachusetts Ave.
Tickets: $20-$25
https://www.bso.org/events/nec-philharmonia-april-26

New England Conservatory (NEC) returns to Symphony Hall for the first time since 2018 in a wide-reaching program of orchestral and choral works. NEC Philharmonia and Symphonic Choir perform the New England premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Conquest Requiem” with vocal soloists soprano YeonJae Cho '24 AD and baritone Libang Wang '23 MM. The performance also includes Lutoslawski’s Concerto for Orchestra, and Brahms’ Tragic Overture.

Hugh Wolff, conductor
Johannes Brahms, Tragic Overture in D Minor, op. 81
Gabriela Lena Frank, Conquest Requiem
Witold Lutoslawski, Concerto for Orchestra

For full performance information, visit: https://necmusic.edu/events/nec-symphony-hall-philharmonia-symphonic-choir-hugh-wolff-brahms-frank-lutoslawski

About New England Conservatory (NEC)
Founded by Eben Tourjée in Boston, Massachusetts in 1867, the New England Conservatory (NEC) represents a new model of music school that combines the best of European tradition with American innovation. The school stands at the center of Boston’s rich cultural history and musical life, presenting concerts at the renowned Jordan Hall. Propelled by profound artistry, bold creativity and deep compassion, NEC seeks to amplify musicians’ impact on advancing our shared humanity, and empowers students to meet today’s changing world head-on, equipped with the tools and confidence to forge multidimensional lives of artistic depth and relevance.

As an independent, not-for-profit institution that educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, NEC is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools. It cultivates a diverse, dynamic community, providing music students of more than 40 countries with performance opportunities and high-caliber training from 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of music-making and teaching through college-level training in classical, jazz and contemporary improvisation. Through unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships, it empowers students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC’s mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, the Preparatory School and School of Continuing Education delivers training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students and adults.

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