Shelley Conducts America at 250

Join Artistic and Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley and pianist Conrad Tao for a bold celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Experience Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F alongside the West Coast premiere of Peter Boyer and Joe Sohm's American Mosaic, a powerful reflection of America’s diverse and dynamic spirit. This concert honors our nation’s past, present, and future—an unforgettable tribute to 250 years of cultural innovation.

With images on the big screen above the orchestra!

Preview Talk at 7 p.m. with host Rich Capparela.

Post-Concert Meet & Greet: Artistic and Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley will be greeting audience members and signing posters in the main lobby after the concert Thursday and Friday only.

American Mosaic is a collaboration between two renowned creative artists who have received widespread recognition for their respective bodies of work celebrating America. Multi-award-winning photographer Joe Sohm has spent the last several years traveling around the country, capturing stunning new 4K video imagery from across the 50 states, building on his decades of acclaimed work as “America’s Photo-Historian.” Composer Peter Boyer's catalog of American-themed orchestral works, from his Grammy-nominated Ellis Island to Fanfare for Tomorrow from President Biden’s Inauguration, is acclaimed for its power to uplift and inspire. 

To celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial or “USA 250” in 2026, Boyer and Sohm have joined forces to create a powerful new musical-visual work. The score incorporates passages from Boyer’s existing works, in addition to featuring newly composed music, using a live narrator to deliver powerful, relevant quotes from throughout American history. Sequences employing Sohm’s spectacular 4K video are creatively edited to Boyer’s music, celebrating the land, cities, towns, people, and spirit of the United States for its 250th birthday.

Watch a Sizzle Reel for American Mosaic

The concert opens with a new piece by Raven Chacon who writes: "Inscription II considers the motto E Pluribus Unum, inscribed upon the Great Seal of the United States and the nation's coinage, as a form of cultural reduction. Written for full orchestra, the composition questions the intention of the phrase, and represents the pitches and rhythms of single instrumentalists as drifting toward collective uniformity. The motto ambiguously suggests American exceptionalism, while embracing a melting pot that erases individuality and diverse traditions."

SPONSORS:
These concerts celebrating America at 250 are dedicated to the memory of Ted Smith and are generously underwritten by the Ted and Janice Smith Family.
Friday Evening’s Performance is generously underwritten by Christopher Tower and Robert Celio, Jr.
Additional underwriting is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The 2025-26 season piano soloists are generously sponsored by The Michelle F. Rohé Fund