Featured Soloist: Justin Carson

We are thrilled to feature Justin Carson as a soloist on our upcoming Fall Concert on Sunday, October 19th! He will be performing Hold Fast Your Dreams, Mvt. II. Allegro energico (Concerto No. 2 for Oboe and Wind Ensemble) (2010) by contemporary American composer Eric Ewazen.

Justin Carson is a freelance oboist from Bridgeville, PA, whose musical roots run deep in Pittsburgh. Born and raised in the city, he grew up surrounded by its rich artistic life and now finds himself performing with ensembles such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, and the West Hills Symphonic Band. After studying at Pittsburgh CAPA High School and then onto Carnegie Mellon University with Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida, Principal Oboist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Justin is proud to share his love of music with the very community that inspired him.

When asked about his interpretation of the piece, Justin said:

I interpret the message as a celebration of human resilience. Ewazen seems to want the listener to feel the struggle and turbulence of life, but also to recognize the possibility of hope and renewal. The contrasting moments of tension and lyrical beauty suggest that even in difficulty, there are moments of clarity and connection. The central second movement, with its driving rhythms and dramatic interplay, emphasizes the intensity of life’s challenges before resolving into brighter harmonies that symbolize strength and perseverance.

Justin also shared the conductor's inspirations for this piece:

This concerto is inspired by real-life perseverance by the story of Ellen Strommen, mother of Linda Strommen (Professor of Oboe at Indiana University and former oboist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), whose life was marked by faith and resilience. The poem “Hold Fast Your Dreams” by poet Louise Driscoll (1875-1957) also inspired the piece. The final stanza of her poem reads: We see so many ugly things— Deceits and wrongs and quarrelings; We know, alast we know How quickly fade The color in the west, The bloom upon the flower, The bloom upon the breast And youth's blind hour. Yet keep within your heart A place apart Where little dreams may go, May thrive and grow. Hold fast—hold fast your dreams!