Spencer Myer Plays Mozart

The Oak Ridge Symphony’s spring concert explores the enduring brilliance of Mozart through music that reflects his unmistakable spirit across centuries. Pairing the contemporary voice of Jonathan Dove with two beloved Mozart masterpieces, the program highlights the wit, elegance, and emotional depth that continue to inspire composers and audiences alike.

Jonathan Dove’s Figures in the Garden opens the evening with music directly inspired by Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Drawing from the opera’s characters, energy, and emotional complexity, Dove transforms Mozart’s world into a vibrant contemporary orchestral landscape filled with rhythmic vitality, shimmering textures, and playful imagination. The result is music that feels at once fresh and deeply connected to the classical tradition.

Mozart’s own Overture to The Marriage of Figaro follows, bursting with humor, momentum, and theatrical brilliance before leading into the radiant Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major. Featuring acclaimed pianist Spencer Myer, the concerto reveals Mozart at his most lyrical and profound, balancing virtuosity with extraordinary warmth and humanity.

Together, these works form a conversation across time—celebrating Mozart not simply as a historical figure, but as a living artistic voice whose influence continues to inspire new musical worlds.