University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra in Review
University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra
Kenneth Kiesler, conductor
Karen Slack, soprano; Goitsemang Lehobye, soprano; Daniel Washington, bass
Stern Auditoirum at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
May 30, 2025
We often hear that the state of music education these days is lamentable, with budget cuts and a focus on more “important” programs and such; thankfully, however, this issue has seemingly not impacted music programs at the college level. In fact, there are quite a few college ensembles that are more than able to hold their own in comparison to prominent professional orchestras. The University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra (UMSO) is one of those elite ensembles. Under the baton of Kenneth Kiesler, the UMSO Orchestra took the stage at Carnegie Hall on May 30th, with a program of Bernstein, Gershwin, William Dawson, and three spirituals. The USMO has just completed a concert tour in South Africa, and the three guest artists on that tour (Goitsemang Lehobye , Karen Slack, and Daniel Washington ) were also featured this evening. A large and very supportive audience was present to show that Wolverine pride is not just for the football team.
Maestro Kiesler took the podium to open the program with Leonard Bernstein’s On the Waterfront Symphonic Suite. Bernstein’s legendary status as a conductor is so pervasive that one sometimes can forget what an outstanding composer he was as well. The suite is a twenty-minute musical synopsis of the movie itself, with one theme depicting what Bernstein called Terry Malloy’s “tragic nobility,” another theme for the growing love between Terry and Edie Doyle, and, surrounding these themes, music that evokes the violence of the docks and the gritty urban industrial landscape.
The opening French Horn solo was played with great tenderness and spot-on accuracy. This was an auspicious start – I was holding my breath thinking how many times cracked notes from other performances have spoiled it all right off the bat. With that danger dispatched with a practiced ease, I could breathe more easily and truly enjoy what one of the more energetic and passionate performances of this suite that I can recall hearing. While Terry’s theme and the love music were poignant, it was the “gritty” that wowed me (and the audience), with the violent bombast given the “no holds barred” approach. It was thrilling, and a great way to open the evening.
Selections from Porgy and Bess, by George Gershwin, followed the Bernstein. I’m not going to wade into the controversies about Porgy and Bess – I’ll leave that to others. As for the music itself, many of the songs have become standards in the Great American Songbook. After a truncated overture, Goitsemang Lehobye sang a languorous Summertime. One could almost feel the lazy haze and stifling heat of a summer day as her voice floated above the torpor. Daniel Washington’s approach to I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin was Porgy declaring his defiant happiness at his lot, embracing his outcast status instead of projecting bitterness. The joy he brought forth was palpable, and one could not help but be drawn in by his infectious enthusiasm. Pair that with his powerful voice, and the effect was complete. Karen Slack wrung every drop of sorrow from My Man’s Gone Now – it was absolutely heartbreaking. Ms. Slack and Mr. Washington joined together to lend their considerable talents to Bess, You is My Woman Now. It captured the bliss that Porgy and Bess were feeling as they declared their love for each other – a moment in time where both were truly happy when happiness was not something either was accustomed to experiencing. Ms. Slack’s and Mr. Washington’s voices filled the hall with divine delight, a climatic ending to the selections. Let’s not forget the UMSO and Maestro Kiesler, who after tearing through the overture with abandon, never once overshadowed the vocalists.
As a “built-in encore,” a shimmering medley from Gershwin’s 1930 musical Girl Crazy ended the first half. The audience roared its approval.
After intermission, we heard the 1934 version of the Negro Folk Symphony by Willam Dawson (1899-1990). Premiered by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1934 to critical acclaim (rare for any new American work, but even more so for an African-American composer), it quickly faded into obscurity. Only in the last few years has it been “rediscovered,” and it has received increased attention and more frequent performances.
Negro Folk Symphony is in three movements that combine African-American spirituals with the classical symphonic tradition. One can detect the influence of Dvořák, a composer whom Dawson admired. The three movements are titled The Bond of Africa, Hope in the Night, and O’ Le’ me Shine, Shine Like A Morning Star! For detailed information about the composer and this work, click on the following link: William L. Dawson and Negro Folk Symphony.
This is the work of a highly skilled composer who knew his craft. While I have heard recordings of this work, this is the first time I have heard it in live performance, and it exceeded all my expectations. Maestro Kiesler offered a reading that explored all the spiritual material with a close attention to the subtilties that surround it. The UMSO followed his direction with a precision that was a highlight of the evening for this listener. One can only hope that this work does not disappear from the repertoire again.
After this work, the three spirituals that followed were almost an anti-climax. As they were not intended to be encores, it might have made more sense to open the half with these works instead of at the end. No disrespect to the singers or the orchestra, who were all outstanding, but this positioning somewhat dulled my enthusiasm. Ms. Slack and Ms. Lehobye dueted in Witness (arranged by Hale Smith), Mr. Washington sang Deep River (arranged by Carl Davis), and Ms. Slack ended the printed program with You Can Tell the World (arranged by Margaret Bonds). The audience gave all a standing ovation.
Another built-in encore followed the spirituals, as Maestro Kiesler introduced the “guest choir,” which was the orchestra itself. They put their instruments down and rose to sing Bawo Thixo Somandla, an African spiritual sung in Xhosa. As a choir, they are an excellent orchestra! All kidding aside, it was touching to see and hear. Finally, as is only proper for a college group, Maestro Kiesler led the UMSO in a raucous rendition of The Victors (the Michigan Fight Song), much to the delight of the audience. The ovation was loud and long, a well-earned reward.
