PORTSMOUTH – The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra (PSO) will perform their Spring Concert on Sunday June 5 at 3pm at Portsmouth Music Hall. A pre-concert talk with Music Director John Page will be offered at 1:45 p.m.

The colorful and vibrant final concert of the PSO’s 2021-2022 season features Brahm’s Academic Festival Overture and Dvorak’s bright and luminous New World Symphony. The original Academic Festival Overture was a serious nod to academia on the occasion of an honorary doctorate awarded to Brahms by the University of Breslau. Instead, Brahms, who hated the pump, indulged his playful sense of humor and wrote a medley of student drinking songs. Dvorak’s symphony is the culmination of his highly successful stay in America and remains one of the most popular symphonies. It abounds with melodies inspired by Native American folk music and African American spirituals and musically embodies the multinational spirit of the New World.

The June 5 concert program also includes the winners of the 2020 and 2022 Young Artists Competition. This year’s winner, Sean Jang will perform the first movement of Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor op. 45 and 2020 winner Maxine Park will perform Chopin’s first movement Piano Concerto in E minor.

The annual PSO Young Artist Competition is open to high school students studying any instrument. To be considered, each contestant submitted a video of themselves performing a single movement of a major work or an 8-12 minute equivalent with accompaniment. This year’s finalists Akira McDowell, flute; Elsie Munsterteiger, flute; Hannah Rubin, piano; Jenny Qu, viola; Jennifer Jang, violin; and Sean Jang, violin, performed their pieces live for the judges, which included PSO music director John Page, at Riverwoods in late April.

Tickets for the June 5 concert are $35/25 adults; $30 seniors; and $20 student (through college) and can be purchased online at the Music Hall website.

COVID-19 protocols may be in place for this performance. Please see the current policy on the Music Hall website at www.themusichall.org.

In addition to the final main stage centerpiece, a large ensemble of PSO musicians will perform on Sunday, June 19 as part of “Intimate Voices,” Up Close and Personal’s final concert with the PSO @ Jimmy’s Chamber Music Series. For more information, visit www.portsmouthsymphony.org.