Boston Conservatory Orchestra Premieres a New Piano Concerto by Peter and Leonardo Dugan

Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s spring Center Stage season continues with a matinée performance by Boston Conservatory Orchestra at Boston’s historic Symphony Hall. The concert, titled Crossing the Threshold, will take place on Sunday, February 22 at 3:00 p.m.

Peter Dugan, an acclaimed pianist, composer, and host of the radio program From the Top, will join Boston Conservatory Orchestra to present the educational premiere of a new piano concerto. Written by Peter and his brother, the composer, saxophonist, and recording artist Leonardo Dugan, this concerto was commissioned by Boston Conservatory and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

“The Brothers Concerto” revisits moments that encapsulate the unique experience of siblinghood: the Dugan brothers grew up in Philadelphia, where their musical development was steeped in both jazz and classical traditions. The language of the concerto reflects the commonality and individuality of brothers, of two musical idioms, of an orchestra and its soloist. Soaring, lyrical melodies, propulsive rhythms, and Leonardo’s characteristic lush orchestration frame the athletic virtuosity of Peter’s pianism. The piece is an inspired combination of classical structure and counterpoint, with improvised solos using the vocabulary of jazz.

The performance will also feature three graduating conductors as they progress from Boston Conservatory’s conducting studio to Boston’s Symphony Hall. Students Julian Dürr, Christine Le, and Simon Sadikovič will conduct works by American composers George Gershwin and Howard Hanson, as well as Russian composers Alexander Borodin and Igor Stravinsky.

“I am excited to see our students once again take the stage at Symphony Hall as part of this unique opportunity, partnering closely with Peter and Leonardo Dugan to bring their new piano concerto to life—a piece that we workshopped together in October and now prepare to share with an audience in February,” said Chair of Instrumental Studies Matthew M. Marsit. “I am also especially excited for our graduate student conductors to have the opportunity to lead the Boston Conservatory Orchestra through significant works, in Boston's most storied concert hall, as part of a culmination of their program here at Boston Conservatory.”

Boston Conservatory Orchestra—Crossing the Threshold will take place at Symphony Hall, located at 301 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, on Sunday, February 22 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $24.99–$29.99, and can be purchased online. View additional events in Boston Conservatory’s Center Stage season.