Ferde Grofé (1892-1972) was an American composer and arranger who is best known for his Grand Canyon Suite, completed in 1931. This piece was inspired by his travels to the Grand Canyon and serves as a vivid musical portrait of the breathtaking landscape of Grand Canyon National Park. The suite is divided into five movements, each capturing a different aspect of the canyon's natural beauty.

The third movement of the suite, On the Trail, takes us on a hiking adventure through the Grand Canyon's vast, rugged landscape. Using a variety of orchestral colors and vivid musical imagery, Grofé captures the natural beauty of the national park around us on our journey down a gorgeous nature trail, with the brass and woodwind sections evoking the feeling of navigating the challenging terrain of the forest. The movement concludes with a triumphant, upbeat theme, representing the sense of awe and accomplishment of completing our treacherous hike.

Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) was a Russian composer, chemist, and a key member of the "Mighty Five," a group of composers dedicated to creating a distinctly Russian style of classical music. Borodin balanced his career in science with his passion for music, composing works that blended Russian folk themes with lush, romantic harmonies.

Borodin composed In the Steppes of Central Asia in 1891. The piece evokes the vast, grassy landscapes and the rich cultural atmosphere of Central Asia. Through its sweeping melodies and colorful orchestration, Borodin captures the sounds of a caravan traveling across the steppe, blending both uniquely Russian and Asian musical elements. The music alternates between a peaceful, pastoral theme representing the serene landscape and more rhythmic sections that suggest the movement of the caravan and the bustling life of the region. The piece remains one of Borodin's most popular works, admired for its vivid soundscape.

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) was an English composer, conductor and pianist, widely regarded as one of the most important British composers of the 20th century, as was known for writing works of many genres, including operas, orchestral music, choral works and chamber music. Set in a small, isolated English fishing village, the opera Peter Grimes tells the story of a troubled fisherman who is ostracized by the community after the mysterious death of his apprentice.

Britten's opera Peter Grimes was composed in 1945 and is considered one of his greatest works. The Four Sea Interludes are orchestral excerpts from this opera, and the fourth movement, Storm, is one of the most dramatic and intense. Britten captures the raw power and fury of the sea through turbulent, crashing waves of sound, using bold, sweeping lines, akin to the movement of big waves. The music evokes the uncontrollable force of nature as a violent storm rages over the fishing village in which the opera is set. Through intricate rhythms, dynamic contrasts, and aggressive brass and strings, Britten creates an atmosphere of the perilous environment in which Peter Grimes and the villagers live.

The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto is credited jointly to two composers—Chen Gang (b. 1935) and He Zhanhao (b. 1933), who collaborated on its composition in 1959 while they were students at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Cast in one long movement and subdivided into seven sections, the concerto is a musical representation of the Chinese legend of the Butterfly Lovers, with the solo violin representing the protagonist Zhu Yingtai, and the cello part symbolic of her lover Liang Shanbo. Chen was responsible for the majority of the concerto's scoring, while He's primary contribution was the work's famous opening theme.

The concerto is scored for a standard-sized Western orchestra, and utilizes a variety of traditional Chinese techniques and styles to create a sound world suitable for its story. Among them are the use of a five-pitch pentatonic scale and a number of melodies from Chinese folk songs and from a well-known Chinese opera version of the Butterfly Lovers story. Across the concerto we follow Zhu and Liang as they meet in childhood, attend school and grow closer. The tale turns tragic as Zhu is betrothed to another man, Liang becomes ill and dies, and Zhu throws herself into Liang's grave. In closing, the lovers' spirits emerge as butterflies.

Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) was a Czech composer known for his pioneering role in establishing a distinctly Czech national music style. Smetana's works often incorporate Czech folk melodies, rhythms and themes of national identity. His greatest work is Má vlast (My Homeland), a series of six orchestral tone poems composed over a period of several years in the 1870s and dedicated to the city of Prague. It is the quintessential nationalist work, celebrating the rich Bohemian heritage and land of which Smetana was so proud. Heard in its entirety, Má vlast is a unified cycle both musically and spiritually. It encompasses Czech legend, landscape, geography and history, evoking both people and places.

Vltava ("Moldau" in German-speaking lands) is the river originating in southern Bohemia, converging with the River Elbe in the north. Smetana's The Moldau is a series of episodes freely following the river's course from its origins until the point where it joins the Elbe. It begins with the orchestra's first and second flutes representing the two springs—one warm water, the other cold—that feed the river, joining to run through rustic countryside. The flutes' sinuous, liquid lines constitute one of the most ingenious evocations of nature in all of classical music.

George Gershwin (1898-1937) was one of America's greatest composers and musicians, most often credited with bringing jazz to the orchestra and large audiences around the world with Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris and the opera Porgy and Bess.

An American in Paris is a symphonic tone poem composed in 1928. Inspired by Gershwin's visit to Paris, the work captures the vibrant energy and cultural contrast between the American expatriate experience and the French city. The piece brings to life the charm of bustling streets through the eyes of an excited traveler experiencing Paris for the first time and blends jazz with classical form, creating rich and colorful orchestral textures. Lively rhythmic sections and bluesy melodies create an atmosphere of a sophisticated and busy city and truly makes the listener feel as if they are sitting at a Parisian cafe watching the people and vespas go by. An American in Paris remains one of Gershwin's most well-known and iconic works, celebrating the fusion of American and European musical styles.

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) was an American composer best known for his Americana-style music that paints a picture of American landscapes and open space in the American west. During his long career, Copland wrote music for ballets, chamber music, pieces for voice and, of course, orchestral pieces.

Appalachian Spring is a ballet score composed by Aaron Copland in 1944, later arranged into a concert suite. It tells the story of a young couple's journey to start a new life in the American frontier in the Appalachian Mountains. The piece is known for its use of American folk melodies and open, expansive orchestration, capturing the feeling of standing amongst vast and sprawling fields. The well-known theme from the Shaker song Simple Gifts is central to the piece and is woven in throughout, symbolizing themes of faith, hope, and the beauty of living a simple life. Appalachian Spring remains one of Copland's most celebrated works, epitomizing the sound of American music in the 20th century.