Mercury Orchestra performs Perry, Schumann and Harris
Saturday | July 18, 2026 | 8:00pm
Sanders Theatre
JULIA PERRY A Short Piece for Large Orchestra
WILLIAM SCHUMAN A Free Song (Secular Cantata No. 2) for mixed chorus and orchestra
ROY HARRIS Symphony No. 6 “Gettysburg”
The Mercury Orchestra, national winner of the 2010 American Prize in Orchestral Performance, examines snapshots of American history on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through the musical prisms of three mid-20th century American composers. African-American composer and conductor Julia Perry wrote A Short Piece for Large Orchestra, an imperious, kinetic delight. William Schuman’s secular cantata A Free Song declaims the Civil War era poetry of Walt Whitman in a reflective dialogue that expresses a desire for freedom for all mankind; this work was awarded the first Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1943. Roy Harris’s stirring sixth symphony vividly brings to life the noble exhortations of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, to honor the ideal that all men were created equal. Channing Yu, Music Director.
This performance is open to all adults and to children over the age of 5. The concert will end at approximately 9:45 pm. There will be one intermission.
For more information, please visit the Mercury Orchestra.
Ticket Prices
Advance (through July 17, 2026):
Full Price: $25
Student, Senior (65+), Harvard ID, MIT ID, WGBH or WBUR Member: $20
Day of Concert:
Full Price: $30
Student, Senior (65+), Harvard ID, MIT ID, WGBH or WBUR Member: $25
Run Time
1 hour 45 minutes, including intermission.
Parking
Free parking is available at the Broadway Garage, located at 7 Felton Street, between Broadway and Cambridge Streets. Parking is from one hour pre-performance to one hour post. More info at Parking & Directions.
Sanders Theatre
45 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138
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