Composer Aaron Copland captures the American wilderness in his quintessential ballet score Appalachian Spring, evoking rugged mountains, boundless prairies, and a spirit of hope and possibility. Music Director Laureate Robert Spano wields the mighty forces of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to bring Copland’s evocative score to life, culminating in the stirring variations on the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts." Maestro Spano ends the concert with Vaughan Williams' Fifth Symphony, a balm written on the eve of war, packed with delicious tonal ambiguity, abundant melodies and spacious serenity. Also on the program, ASO Principal Harpist Elisabeth Remy Johnson performs the GRAMMY-winning Harp Concerto by Atlanta School composer Jennifer Higdon.