The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra will honor multidimensional aspects of heroes during a concert at Mount Pisgah Church on Sunday.
Guest Conductor Henry Cheng says the hero exists in individuals, communities, and as a global humanity.
Cheng is the conductor of the Ballet Indiana Symphony Orchestra and the former chief conductor of the Klangkraft Orchestra in Germany.
He conducted a classical K-Pop concert for Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra in October.
“Heroes Among Us: A Musical Tribute.” Begins at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Pisgah Church in Johns Creek. The event is sponsored by Emory Johns Creek Hospital.
The concert will honor first responders, human resilience and the hero as an “isolated figure.”
In a statement, Cheng described the musical selections starting with composer Valerie Coleman’s tribute to the work of first responders during the pandemic, “Seven O’Clock Shout.”
Cheng said that Coleman captured a worldwide “expression of gratitude for those who faced uncertainty and danger daily.”
In Edvard Grieg’s “Piano Concerto in A Minor,” Norwegian folk melodies and rhythms honor heroes who are introspective and devoted to their heritage and community, Cheng said.
Pianist David Fung performs in this selection. Fung has performed internationally at world-famous venues including the Louvre, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Center.
The Heroes concert concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in a celebration of humanity.
“With its rhythmic vitality and uplifting spirit, Symphony No. 7 speaks to the resilience of the human spirit, the shared joys and struggles that define our lives, and our capacity to endure and thrive collectively,” Cheng said.
Linda Brill, executive director of the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, said the concert will be different from the classical K-Pop program that Cheng conducted for the orchestra in October.
“We are thrilled to have Henry Cheng conduct our orchestra for a second time this season,” Brill said in a statement. “… and we’re excited for our audience to experience the contrast that will show Henry’s robust skills as a conductor.”
