Eugene Symphony Presents Rhythm of the Americas Tonight at Hult

The Eugene Symphony is on stage at Silva Concert Hall at the Hult Center tonight with Rhythm of the Americas, a program designed to highlight rhythmic vitality across a spectrum of American and international influences. The performance begins at 7 30 p m and presents a tightly curated sequence of works that together offer roughly 76 minutes of music, with an intermission separating the evening into two distinct halves.

The evening opens with Téenek by Gabriela Ortiz, a 16 minute work that sets a contemporary and rhythmically driven tone. The orchestra then presents the Piano Concerto in One Movement by Florence Price, a 19 minute centerpiece featuring Grammy winning pianist Michelle Cann as soloist. After intermission Cann returns for Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major, a 23 minute display of orchestral color and soloistic flair. The program closes with Duke Ellington's Harlem Suite, an 18 minute suite that brings jazz oriented orchestral writing into dialogue with the preceding works.

Michelle Cann's presence on the program is a major draw for local audiences. Her career credentials position the concert as an occasion for listeners in Lane County to hear an acclaimed soloist perform repertoire that spans important cultural currents. Featuring Florence Price also carries particular resonance for communities seeking greater representation of historically underplayed American composers. Price was an important early twentieth century African American composer, and her inclusion underscores ongoing programming choices that broaden the narratives presented on local stages.

For the Hult Center, the concert exemplifies its function as a regional cultural hub that brings touring artists, local institutions, and diverse repertoires to downtown Eugene. Nights like this generate activity for nearby restaurants and retail, and they contribute to the cultural life that civic leaders and arts organizations point to when discussing public support for performing arts infrastructure.

Practical information for attendees is available on the Hult Center website, including ticketing and plan your visit details for Silva Concert Hall. Local residents should expect a full orchestra program with intermission, and those attending are likely to encounter an audience drawn by both familiar names and a program that bridges contemporary classical composition and jazz influenced orchestral writing.

By presenting a program that connects contemporary Latin American composition, early American classical repertoire, French impressionist concerto writing, and jazz era orchestral works, the Eugene Symphony offers Lane County an evening that is musically varied and culturally significant. The concert reflects programming priorities that aim to engage diverse audiences while reinforcing the Hult Center's role in supporting arts accessibility and downtown cultural vitality.