Pathway to Dignity
February 7, 2026
The unforgettable North Dakota premiere of Lucas Richmans's Paths to Dignity Violin Concerto will stir your spirit and your mind. A week of outreach and education involving our unhoused and marginalized, will culminate in this powerful performance.
Program
Candide: Overture.............................Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Concerto for Violin: Paths to Dignity...........Lucas Richman (b. 1964)
"Our Stories"
"Fever Dreams/Move"
"Shelter for my Child"
"Finding Home"
MItchell Newman, violin
INTERMISSION
Symphony No. 1 in A flat Major, "Afro American"..William Grant Still (1895-1978)
I. Moderato assai
II. Adagio
III. Animato
IV. Lento, con risoluzione
Program Notes
Bernstein Candide Overture
Although the operetta Candide faced difficulties and revisions, the overture became an instant success. The New York Philharmonic, conducted by Bernstein, first performed it in concert in January 1957. Within two years, over 100 orchestras worldwide performed it. It is still one of Bernstein's most frequently performed orchestral pieces. The Overture combines musical themes from the show, previewing songs like "The Best of All Possible Worlds," "Oh, Happy We," and "Glitter and Be Gay". It blends European operetta with American musical theater.
Lucas Richman's Paths to Dignity Violin Concerto
The concerto was specifically conceived to address and stimulate discussion about the connections between homelessness and mental health, highlighting the role of arts in restoring dignity to displaced individuals. The four-movement structure is unified by a seven-note musical motif (D-B-G-G-B-F-D) representing the word "DIGNITY," woven throughout the composition in various forms. Beyond being a concert piece, the concerto and associated Paths to Dignity Project aim to foster connections between cultural organizations and homeless advocacy groups. It intends to serve as a catalyst for meaningful discussion and action, facilitating assistance and aspiring towards the reintegration of the unsheltered into society.
William Grant Still Afro American Symphony
Still's Afro-American Symphony, premiered in 1931 by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, was the first symphony by an African American composer to be performed by a major American orchestra. This landmark event marked a significant milestone in American music history. The symphony masterfully blends elements of African American musical idioms – blues, jazz, and spirituals – with traditional European classical forms. Still sought to demonstrate the artistic potential of these styles and elevate the blues in particular to a higher musical status. The four movements of the symphony have both traditional European tempo markings (Moderato assai, Adagio, Animato, Lento con risoluzione) and programmatic titles reflecting the African American experience: "Longing," "Sorrow," "Humor," and "Aspiration". Still also incorporated excerpts from four poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar as epigraphs for each movement, further highlighting the themes of the piece.