American Soul

A celebration of the American spirit, bold and lyrical, from Copland's fanfare to Gershwin's An American in Paris. Naples Community Orchestr American Soul closes the 2027 season with the boldest, most lyrical program of the year. Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man opens with a blast of brass that has become musical shorthand for American resolve, written in 1942 at the request of a conductor who asked composers for "stirring and significant" fanfares to boost wartime morale. Barber's Essay No. 2 follows, a tightly-argued orchestral essay in the truest sense: no soloist, no program, just pure architectural logic and Barber's unmistakable lyricism. Violinist Risa Hokamura joins us for Barber's Violin Concerto, playing the 1715 "Joachim" Stradivarius — an instrument with its own storied history predating the concerto by two centuries. The Concerto itself has a famous backstory: the original commissioning soloist reportedly found the finale too difficult and asked for changes, and depending which version of the legend you believe, Barber either obliged or held firm. Either way, the perpetual-motion finale remains a thrill to hear live. The afternoon closes with Gershwin's An American in Paris, its taxi horns and jazz-inflected orchestration capturing the buzz of a young American composer abroad and in love with a new city. Naples Community Orchestra is a hybrid ensemble of professional section leaders and high-caliber volunteer and student musicians, performing at Moorings Presbyterian Church as part of our mission to connect the Naples community through live orchestral music and to support the next generation of musicians through scholarships and performance opportunities. Doors open thirty minutes before the concert, and a reception with light refreshments follows in the church atrium — a chance to meet the musicians and fellow audience members. Free parking is available on-site.