Dead Elvis and Other Gems
Sun, Mar 24
|Musical Instrument Museum
MusicaNova principal bassoon Kristilyn Woods dons the sequined costume for Michael Daugherty's classical tour de force inspired by the King of Rock and Roll. Plus, a rare concerto for two clarinets
Time & Location
Mar 24, 2024, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050, USA
About the event
Michael Daugherty: Dead Elvis
Peggy-Glanville Hicks: 3 Gymnopedies
Franz Krommer: Concerto for Two Clarinets and Orchestra
Joseph Haydn: Symphony no. 98
Read the full program notes here.
Dead Elvis is scored for the same instrumentation as Stravinsky's Histoire du Soldat (1918), in which a soldier sells his violin, and his soul, to the devil for a magic book. Michael Daugherty explains why: "I offer a new spin on this Faustian scenario: a rock star sells out to Hollywood, Colonel Parker, and Las Vegas for wealth and fame. I use Dies irae -- a medieval Latin chant for the Day of Judgment -- as the principal musical theme in my composition to pose the question, is Elvis dead or alive beyond the grave of Graceland?"