September 19-20
A Hero's Life
Saturday | 9.20.25 | 8:00 PM
The DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 West 37th Street
Artistic Director Matthew Aubin kicks off The Chelsea Symphony’s 20th anniversary season with Richard Strauss’s thrilling epic Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life). Each night showcases a different work with solo flute. Friday’s performance features Leonard Bernstein’s Halil, a haunting meditation on the ravages of war. Saturday’s performance includes Anže Rozman’s Phoenix, a cinematic journey through the life cycle of the mythological firebird. A premiere by new TCS Composition Fellow Ben Murphy opens the program.
Program
Music for Orchestra in D
Halil
(Friday only)
Phoenix
(Saturday only)
Ein Heldenleben, op.40
Featured Artists
Ben Murphy is a queer Canadian composer and bassist, living in New York City since 2009.
His compositions have been performed at Carnegie Hall, earned an NYCAC grant, and been recorded by the Mannes Orchestra. His arrangements, particularly of Caroline Shaw’s music, have been performed by ensembles such as BBC Radio Orchestra, Paris Philharmonic, Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic.
As a bassist he has appeared on many recordings, including the grammy winning …
Kim Lewis is a New York-based flutist with immense passion as a performer and teacher. Informed by a rounded education in the arts throughout her childhood in Ohio, including study in dance, voice, and piano, she brings a wealth of experiences to her focus on the flute. As a soloist, Kim has received first place in the 2017 New Jersey Flute Society Concerto Competition, as well as the 2014 Central Ohio Flute Association Competition - Collegiate Division. She was also …
Jackie Traish is originally from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and currently lives in New York City as a musician, teaching artist, and arts administrator. She is a graduate of the Mannes School of Music at the College of Performing Arts at The New School where she received her Masters of Music in Orchestral Studies and her Professional Studies Diploma under the instruction of Judith Mendenhall (principal flutist of the American Ballet). Prior to this, she received her Bachelors in Music …
Joseph Morag, acclaimed by the New York Times for his "gorgeous tone," and "physically expressive cues," has been a prolific member of the New York City musical scene for nearly 30 years. Growing up, he served as concertmaster of the New York Youth Symphony, Columbia University Orchestra, and Monteux Festival Orchestra. He is now entering his 10th consecutive season as concertmaster of the Chelsea Symphony and is a section violinist in the Syracuse Orchestra, Second Ending Ensemble, and National Youth …
Conductor
A sought-after leader in today’s orchestral landscape, Dr. Matthew Aubin cultivates musical excellence through an innovative, community-minded, and inclusive approach.
Dr. Aubin serves as Music Director and Executive Director of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and Artistic Director of The Chelsea Symphony in New York City. Through these positions, he has developed a reputation for imaginative programming, organizational leadership, audience engagement, and advocacy for historically overlooked composers.
With The Chelsea Symphony, Dr. Aubin …