"Intimate. Stirring. Satisfying."
Songs of the Heart brings together five remarkable works that explore love, beauty, identity, mystery, reflection, and joy. This is music that speaks directly to who we are.
- Barber’s Adagio for Strings is one of the most beloved and recognizable American classical works ever written. Frequently ranked among listeners’ favorite classical works, it has been featured in films such as Platoon and The Elephant Man and performed at major national moments including President Kennedy’s funeral and 9/11 commemorations.
- Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings featuring the exquisite voice of tenor Sam Faustine and newly appointed PCO Principal Horn Craig Hansen. One of the twentieth century’s most beloved works for voice and orchestra, Britten’s setting of English poetry creates a captivating dialogue between tenor, horn and strings exploring love, beauty, mystery, and the passage of life.
- Elgar’s beloved Serenade for Strings is intimate, affectionate, and deeply lyrical.
- Gabriela Lena Frank’s An Andean Walkabout is inspired by the landscapes, identities, games, and musical traditions of the Andes. A Berkeley native, Frank has become one of America’s most celebrated contemporary composers. She recently completed a four-year tenure as Composer-in-Residence with the Philadelphia Orchestra and was awarded the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Music and named Musical America’s 2026 Composer of the Year.
- Dag Wirén’s Serenade for Strings radiates joy, energy, and life-affirming spirit.
What Makes This Concert So Special?
For this program, you can bask in the sumptuous sound of the string orchestra—rich and vibrant, yet also intimate and transparent.
Songs of the Heart brings together works you won’t hear anywhere else together, music that speak the language of what matters most: love, beauty, mystery, identity, reflection, and joy.
The musical simplicity and emotional complexity of Barber’s Adagio builds to a searing intensity before gradually fading away, leaving time itself behind in the stillness.
Britten adds the tenor and French horn to make the poetry of Keats, Tennyson, and others shimmer, call, and entice.
Gabriela Lena Frank and Dag Wirén explore landscapes, playfulness, and joy with sparkle that can only come from the strings.
Together they from a whole palette and reflect off of each other in ways unexpected, touching and memorable. This is a one-time unique experience.