It does not take much to be inspired by a different country or way of life, especially if you are an artist. Throughout the history of America, many citizens have traveled across the ocean to different countries. France, however, was one of the most popular places to travel, especially between 1920 and 1930. George Gershwin was one of the many Americans who traveled to France during that time. Although he is well known for his piece An American in Paris, the time he spent in France influenced this work in a variety of ways. Fragments of Paris are captured within the sounds of Gershwin’s piece, and even though Gershwin received great praise for his work, it was also criticized for sounding too similar to previous works by Le Six and Debussy.

Program for the night of the premiere