Classical Music Matters
Child prodigy to create original work for Dallas Symphony Orchestra remembranceof JFK
It's hard being remembered for your worst moment, but Dallas is approaching the impending 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination with open arms and a somber heart.
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will mark the occasion with an original composition by 17-year-old Conrad Tao. The prodigious composer's work was made possible by a $25,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant.
The grant will support the commissioning, premiere and broadcast of a new work in observance of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK.
Four performances are slated for November 21-24, 2013, along with a series of master classes with Tao for high school students, a radio broadcast, and collaborative events with the Sixth Floor Museum and city offices.
“We are thrilled to receive this honor from the National Endowment for the Arts,” says Jaap van Zweden, music director of the DSO.
“Conrad Tao and our orchestra will bring a fresh artistic perspective to a historic event that shaped our city and still resonates in the lives of those across the nation.”