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Variations on America
Saturday, September 26
Pre-concert Talk at 6:30pm; Concert begins at 7:30pm
Byrnes Auditorium at Winthrop University
Christopher James Lees, Conductor
Byron Johns, Horn
Ives: Variations on America
Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1
Cassarubios: Herencia
Copland: Lincoln Portrait
Bernstein: Overture to West Side Story
RHSO opens its ninth season with a vibrant Americana program featuring Charles Ives’ inventive Variations on "America", Leonard Bernstein’s electrifying Overture to West Side Story, and Spanish-American composer Andrea Cassarubios’ elegant and haunting original work for strings, Herencia (“Heritage”).
Sebastian van Delden, Provost of Winthrop University, joins RHSO as guest narrator for Aaron Copland’s beloved Lincoln Portrait, a stirring tribute to one of America’s most iconic presidents.
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Principal Horn, Byron Johns, brings dazzling artistry and expressive beauty to Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1.
Byron Johns, French Horn
Byron Johns was born and raised in the Gulf Coast city of Venice, Florida. He earned undergraduate degrees in horn performance and choral music education from the Florida State University where he studied with Kevin Reid, James Wilson and Michelle Stebleton. He earned a masters degree in horn performance and literature from the Eastman School of Music while studying with Peter Kurau. In September 2014, Byron joined the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra as a member of the horn section. He won the CSO Principal Horn audition in the fall of 2019 after serving for a year as Acting Principal. Prior to his time in Charlotte, Byron held positions with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Rochester Chamber Orchestra. He has performed as a guest with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, the Naple Philharmonic Orchestra and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Johns has a passion for education and serves on the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He has also held teaching positions with the Volusia County Public Schools and the Eastman Community Music School. When he is not performing or teaching, Byron enjoys fishing, hunting and spending time with his family.
Sebastian A. Van Delden, Guest Narrator
Dr. van Delden joined the Winthrop family in January 2024 as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and a Professor of Computer Science. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Dean of Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering at the College of Charleston. He also held Chairship positions at Southeastern Louisiana University and the University of South Carolina Upstate. Originally from a small Dutch island in the Caribbean called Saba, he came to America as an international student and, in 2003, earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Central Florida, where he met his wife, Elizabeth, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist. Sebastian and Elizabeth have two daughters, Ava and Bels.
Dr. van Delden has published 30 scholarly articles in the areas of artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and industrial robotics, many of which include undergraduate student co-authors. He has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, including algorithms, data structures, robotics, computer vision, machine learning, artificial intelligence, parallel and distributed computing, web programming, software engineering, computer organization and digital logic, discrete structures, and natural language processing.
Dr. van Delden has been a Rotarian for almost 20 years and enjoys a great sense of fulfillment in giving back to the community in this capacity. He has held several leadership positions in Rotary, including being the President of the Rotary Club of Charleston Breakfast where he led meal packing events, community center restoration projects, clothing drives for those in need, and environmental clean-up and protection initiatives.