Events

VALERIE COLEMAN (b. 1970)
Umoja (Anthem of Unity) (original, 1997; orchestral version, 2002)

A composer, flutist, and educator, Valerie Coleman’s work often explores connections between classical forms and musical traditions rooted in the African diaspora. This founding member of the Imani Winds has played a significant role in expanding contemporary chamber and orchestral repertoire, with music that emphasizes rhythm, color, and cultural dialogue without relying on programmatic excess.

Umoja—the Swahili word for “unity”—was originally composed in 1997 for wind quintet and later expanded into versions for larger ensembles, including orchestra. The piece was written during a period when Coleman was reflecting on the idea of community across differences, particularly within the context of the African diaspora and the collaborative nature of ensemble music-making. Rather than depicting unity as uniformity, Umoja emphasizes the coexistence of contrasting musical ideas that ultimately function together.

Umoja is driven by layered rhythmic patterns, call-and-response gestures, and repeated ostinatos that circulate through the orchestra. Umoja reflects Coleman’s broader compositional approach: music that is grounded in lived experience, attentive to collective energy, and designed to highlight the individuality of performers within a shared musical structure.

PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
Violin Concerto (1878)

Sketched in just eleven days and orchestrated a mere two weeks later in March and April 1878, Tchaikovsky’s only violin concerto sat unperformed for almost four years because the original dedicatee—renowned Hungarian violinist and pedagogue Leopold Auer—thought the work too long and some of the violin writing awkward and difficult. Indeed, it took the eventual dedicatee, Adolf Brodsky, almost two years to study the work before its premiere on December 4, 1881, in Vienna.

The audience reaction was mixed: many hated the concerto’s (then) audacious novelties, others were excited by its Russian-Gypsy exoticisms. The press reaction was almost entirely negative, led by leading critic Eduard Hanslick’s scathing review which declared, “the violin is no longer played; it is yanked about, it is torn asunder, it is beaten black and blue.” Ignoring this initial backlash, Brodsky determinedly championed the work with repeated performances in London and Moscow, and as musical tastes evolved in the 20th century, audiences and critics began to embrace the concerto’s emotional richness, technical brilliance, and lyrical beauty. Frequent performances and influential recordings by later virtuosos, such as Fritz Kreisler and Jascha Heifetz, helped establish it as a cornerstone of the violin repertoire and one of the most beloved concertos of all time.

Tchaikovsky’s masterwork has been performed often in Billings. Previous soloists were David Abel (1957), Young Uck Kim (1969), Stephanie Chase (1984), Rachel Barton Pine (1996), David Kim (2004), Jennifer Frautschi (2010), Sergey Pospelov (2018), and Gil Shaham (2025).

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841–1904)
Symphony No. 8

This symphony was known for many years as Dvorak’s Fourth Symphony. Only the last five of his nine symphonies were published during his lifetime, although some of the others had been performed and scholars were fully aware of them. Dvorak himself considered it his Seventh Symphony because the score of his earliest symphony had been lost. That work was rediscovered around twenty years after his death. By the 1950s the existence of his earlier symphonies had become more generally known, and all the symphonies were re-numbered to reflect the order of their composition. In England, the Eighth Symphony is sometimes called Dvorak’s “English” Symphony because it was issued by a British publisher during one of the composer’s periodic spats with his Berlin publisher. (In fact, the Seventh Symphony probably has even better claim to the nickname “English,” since it was commissioned and premiered by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.) The Eighth Symphony was composed in 1889 at Dvorak’s country home, and it reflects that peaceful scene. His previous symphony had been serious and dramatic, demonstrating that he could follow the path of Beethoven and Brahms. This one shows that he could equally take his cue from Schubert, filling a symphony with songful melodies. Whatever the source, however, Dvorak personalizes it with the sounds that surrounded him: the natural sounds of the Bohemian countryside and the melodies and rhythms of the Czech people.

The symphony begins with a chorale-like theme which recurs at important points in the first movement. This is followed by a bird-call melody and later a dancing theme. Throughout the movement these are garlanded with countermelodies, sometimes flowing, sometime skipping. The second movement begins with a long melody whose outward serenity is subtly questioned by its minor harmonies and dynamic contrasts. The second theme dispels these doubts very effectively. As in the first movement, there are plenty of charming countermelodies and interesting accompaniment figures. The third movement is a waltz; not the sweeping melodies of Tchaikovsky or Johann Strauss, but a gentle folk dance. The middle section is derived from a song Dvorak composed some fifteen years earlier for a comic opera called The Stubborn Numskulls. It too is waltz-like, but returns at the end of the movement transformed into a Czech polka. The finale is an unorthodox, but very effective, merger of theme and variations with sonata form. A fanfare calls us to attention, after which the cellos announce the theme which is subjected to several straightforward variations. The next variation strays far enough from the original tune that it can be considered a second theme, though its kinship is easy to hear. Further variations serve as development and recapitulation. Here, as throughout the symphony, Dvorak revels in the lovely colors of his orchestra, especially the woodwinds. (Jeffrey M. Edgmond)

The Billings Symphony performed Dvorak’s Eighth Symphony in 1981, 1989, and 2006, and included the fourth movement in Park Concerts in 1981 and 1996.

The concert will showcase 80 minutes of music and will include a 20-minute intermission.

Whenever you want! Seriously, the tradition of clapping only at the end of pieces was only for a short time in the history of music. Typically, people like to clap after a great solo in a jazz tune, an impressive dance move, or after a great movement (section) in a symphony. If you really like a piece, clap at the end of the movement and yell "encore" if you want to hear more. (We love playing encores!)

Reserved Seating:

Tier 1 ticket - $80
Tier 2 ticket - $73
Tier 3 ticket - $64
Tier 4 ticket $48

Under 30/Student:

Tier 2 ticket - $42
Tier 3 ticket - $37
Tier 4 ticket - $27

*all ticket prices do not include box office fees

Tickets start at $48 for adults and go up to $80 based on the seat location. The least expensive seats are in the back of the balcony and the front row closest to the stage.

Here are some other helpful tips you should keep in mind:

• New this year, we've introduced the Young Friends Program to eliminate barriers for younger audience members.
• Interested in additional savings? Buy a subscription! Contact us at 406-252-3610 or visit our offices at 2820 2nd Avenue North and we'd be more than happy to find the best deal for you. Subscriptions for our 2026–2027 season are available!
• If you’re a student, veteran, or active duty military, be sure to bring your student/VA/Military ID for great discounts!

Third-party tickets are not accepted. All tickets must be purchased through the Alberta Bair Theater Box Office.

More than anything, we want you to have fun and express your own style when you come to the Billings Symphony, so dress in a way that works for you. Some people love dressing up and going out—if that’s you, do it and you won’t be the only one, we promise. If you prefer to be more casual, then you probably won’t be the only one dressed casually, either. In short, you do you, and we’re just glad you’re joining us.

On-Street Parking

On City streets, there is both metered parking and posted parking. Metered parking times range from 2 hours to 10 hours and is free after 5 pm and on weekends.

There are two free handicap parking spots on the corner of North Broadway in front of U.S. Bank.

Garages

Park 1
Credit/Debit Cards Only. Located at 2912 Third Avenue North and is open to the public 24-hours per day – the office is open Monday through Friday, from 10:30am-6:30pm. There is free parking on Sundays.

Park 2
Credit/Debit Cards Only. Located at 2651 First Avenue North, Park 2 is open to patrons 24-hours per day – the office is open from 7:15am – 11:00pm, Monday through Saturday.

Park 3
Accepts Cash. Located adjacent to City Hall at 210 North 27th Street and is open 7am-11pm – the office is open Monday through Friday from 10:30am – 6:30pm. There is free parking on Sundays.

Park 4
Located at 515 North 31st Street. The garage and office are open only Monday through Friday from 5:30am – 9:30pm. After 9:30pm, parkers are unable to remove their vehicles from the garage.