At the heart of this rhythm-driven program is Derrick Skye’s Between Suns, a powerful West African drum concerto that illuminates how African rhythms pulse through classical, jazz, and Latin traditions—echoed in the vibrant energy of Revueltas’ La noche de los Mayas and Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Topping it off, the program will include a show-stopping moment from SCSU’s very own Blue Steel Drumline.

About the centerpiece of this program, Between Suns:

In Between Suns, each movement represents a distinct solar system—an imagined space where rhythm is gravity and the West African drums serve as both traveler and guide. The solo drums and orchestra orbit a central pulse—the “sun”—with shifting gravitational forces shaping their interactions. The work explores how rhythm constructs identity, memory, and interconnection across time and space. Between Suns draws connections between musical vocabularies from traditions found in Ghana, Togo, Mali, Morocco, and Senegal, woven together with instrumentation, timbres, and harmonies rooted in Western European classical music. Each of these African countries is home to multiple ethnic groups whose histories and musical practices extend across national borders.

Ticket holders are welcome to join Music Director Perry So and composer Derrick Skye for a free pre-concert chat from 2-2:30pm in the Lyman Center to learn more about this program.