Sunday, March 1, 2026    

Today’s concert continues an exploration of music and nature that began with guest conductor David Amado’s program last October and continued with Eckart’s powerful program in late January. This time, guest conductor Morihiko Nakahara brings music from his native Japan, along with a lesser-known work by the great American composer Aaron Copland, and concludes with Jean Sibelius’ beloved, enigmatic and deeply satisfying fifth symphony.

Maestro Nakahara is not quite making his Classics series debut with the PSO today. In June, 2022, Music Director Eckart Preu was slated to lead a concert featuring Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique. After rehearsals had begun, he became ill with COVID-19 and was unable to conduct the actual concert. Today’s guest conductor saved the day, stepping in at the last minute and leading a spectacular performance without rehearsal! Since then, he has also led the PSOseveral times at the Seaside Pavilion in Old Orchard Beach and here at Merrill.

PSO guest conductors are often invited to program music they cherish and that our audience may not know. Such is the case with the opening work today, Takashi Yoshimatsu’s Ode to Birds and Rainbow. Morihiko writes: “I was introduced to Yoshimatsu’s music as a young clarinetistgrowing up in Japan. It sounded so fresh to me-groovy and melancholy at the same time. I still love exploring his unique sound world with orchestras and audiences whenever I’m given the opportunity.”

The suite from Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land is heard more frequently than the opera from which it was drawn. The opera tells the story of a farm girl who falls in love with a drifter, nearly throws her life away, and finally decides to leave the farm to make her own way in the world. “The Promise of Living”, which closes this suite, is the best-known music from this work, and is often performed as a stand-alone piece by choirs.

Takashi Yoshimatsu, who wrote six symphonies himself, has often cited the seven symphonies of Jean Sibelius as an important influence. This is not a direct influence-their tonal language and orchestral palette differ discernably-but rather an affinity. Both composers write music expressive of the land they live in and both are adept at creating slow-moving changes of harmony and texture. Sibelius, who died in 1957, is seen even now as Finland’s greatest composer. His fifth symphony is beautiful, idiosyncratic, and thrilling. It doesn’t exactly ask you to like it, but you probably will, and respect it, too!

– Martin Webster