A bold fusion of music and metaphor, James Syler’s Symphony No. 1 “Blue” is a powerful work for soprano, wind ensemble, and chorus that traces a soul’s journey from despair to renewal. Presented in collaboration with the Winston-Salem Symphony Chorus, this five-movement work blends elements of symphony and oratorio, drawing inspiration from writers such as Joseph Conrad and T.S. Eliot and unfolding in a mirrored musical structure that reflects descent, stillness, and spiritual awakening, with soprano Elizabeth Pacheco Rose as the featured soloist. The program also includes the world premiere of Syler’s Rivers Ascending, a new tuba concerto commissioned specifically for Piedmont Wind Symphony Principal Tubist, Brent Harvey; reimagining the instrument as a lyrical and transformative voice that rises from the depths to embody renewal, possibility, and change.