July Update

Pam Hahn and Chuck Stewart

Midway through our summer hiatus, I caught up with Chuck Stewart to find out more about the coming season and how the summer is treating him.

Q:  It's July - the month we mark as America's birthday. This coming season includes the start of 2026, which is our country's Sesquicentennial year. What plans does CSO have for celebrating that milestone with music?

A:  CSO is incredibly excited to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence at our May 2026 concert! For this concert, we wanted to honor the variety of music American composers have produced. We are looking forward to performing works by well-known American composers such as George Gershwin and Aaron Copland. Additionally, we'll introduce our audience to two popular composers of today, Chris Pilsner and Omar Thomas. I'm expecially thrilled about performing a work by Thomas. The son of Guyanese immigrants, he beautifully fuses classical and jazz styles in his compositions, making him a powerful embodiment of what an American composer can be. But that's not all! We couldn't have a concert celebrating the birth of our nation without including John Philip Sousa! 

Q:  There has been a lot of talk in recent months about funding for the arts. If you could offer a case of support for America's arts - music in particular - what would you emphasize as the reason for continued funding?

A:  The arts are vital to a civilized society. They challenge the way we think while also providing a medium for unification. This unification is possibly the most evident in music. There is something powerful about coming together as a community to participate, as a performer or as audience, in a musical performance. Beyond just the performance, the music itself can bring a sense of community and pride. Take for instance the powerful patriotic song "America the Beautiful." It is hard for me, personally, to perform or listen to that song without feeling inspired by the awe of our country, feeling pride in those who worked to make our country great, and feeling hopeful for what our country can be in the future. In order to continue providing communities with this valuable resource, it is vital we continue to make it a priority and fund it.

Q:  You're entertaining and being entertained by your three-year-old this summer and I'm sure you're having a lot of fun. How are you managing to find time to prepare for the September concert?

A:  Luckily, my son is still taking a nap during the day! I use this time and some time after he's gone to bed at night to study the scores for our upcoming concert. My son enjoys music of all genres, so he has enjoyed listening as I play various recordings of the pieces we'll be performing. As they say, you've got to start them young!