We just heard that Classroom guest Peter Boyer is up to some big stuff (go Peter, it's your birthday…):

First, the National Symphony Orchestra – that's the orchestra in residence at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. – will be playing Peter's work Rolling River (Sketches on "Shenandoah") on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on September 3, 2017;

And also, on September 9th, in an "It's a Small Classical Music World After All" moment, Classroom alum Brett Mitchell will be conducting the Colorado Symphony and soloist Renee Fleming in a performance of Peter's New Beginnings.

In honor of this news, we decided to rerun Peter's episode. Enjoy!

Why do composers write symphonies? What goes into writing a symphony? If it has three movements, is it still a symphony? I mean, really: What IS a symphony anyway?! Grammy-nominated composer and conductor Peter Boyer answers all of these questions and more by taking us deep into his Symphony No. 1. From making dots on a page, to recording the piece with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, this is a tell-all of one composer's creative process. Come along, won't you? Goood. Goood…

Music in this episode:

Peter Boyer, Symphony No. 1. Played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos 8.559769.

Peter Boyer, the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road, London

Audio production by Todd "Twitchy" Hulslander with quasi-spiritual guidance from Dacia Clay.