The conclusion of a cycle
In January 2022, the National Symphony Orchestra and Music Director, Gianandrea Noseda, started performing and recording the complete sinfonias of composer George Walker (1922-2018).
The recording project celebrates George Walker—the first African American composer to receive a Pulitzer Prize and a D.C. native—and honors his centennial, which was in 2022. Paying tribute to Walker’s legacy is particularly special for the National Symphony Orchestra given the mutual connection to their home city, and a unique history of collaboration and commissions.
This September, the recording cycle concludes with an album featuring all five of George Walker’s sinfonias, presented alongside comprehensive sleeve notes by Peter Laki, and beautiful photography captured by Frank Schramm during the last 14 years of the composer’s life. The album is an essential recording within the composer’s discography, and gives listeners an opportunity to experience Walker’s compositional evolution in context through five of his major orchestral works.
The album was recorded live in January 2022, and May and June of 2023 in the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
“The National Symphony Orchestra’s compelling recordings… should widen the awareness that this composer is a major American voice.”
– The New York Times
“The orchestra also released a brilliant recording of [Walker’s Sinfonia No. 4] last July and performed it in January 2022 as part of its Beethoven and American Masters festival.”
– The Washington Post
"The National Symphony Orchestra is recorded live in immediate, detailed sound, and Noseda’s approach to these modernist works is both meticulous and frequently gripping. …highly recommended for anyone wanting to enter Walker’s rewarding and individual sound world.”
– Musical America
“Beyond serving to further spread the word about Walker, the new set demonstrates what a fine rapport Noseda has built with his players in Washington, D.C… and the orchestra rises to meet its opportunities and demands with power and refinement. [Noseda's] faith in Walker’s stature is a gift to listeners everywhere.”
– Steve Smith, Night After Night: Album of the Week
For your consideration
The National Symphony Orchestra has submitted its George Walker: Five Sinfonias for GRAMMY consideration in the following categories:
- Best Orchestral Performance
- Best Engineered Album (Classical)
- Best Immersive Album
Finer details
George Walker: Five Sinfonias – Released 8 September 2023
Sinfonias Nos 4 and 1 were released as EPs in 2022 in celebration of the composer’s centenary, and Sinfonias 2, 3 and 5 were released in 2023 in the lead up to the full album.
Stream a high-quality recording of George Walker: Five Sinfonias, mixed in Dolby Atmos.
About the music
“The sinfonias of George Walker have been an extraordinary musical discovery for me,” said Music Director Gianandrea Noseda. “They are concise in expression, rigorous in structure, and they have their own unique sound world. I am certain that these performances confirm that George Walker is one of the great composers of recent times.”
Learn more about George Walker’s Five Sinfonias in the promotional video below.