Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Kansas, Creston Herron, to lead 99th annual performance of ‘Les Préludes’
The annual end-of-summer tradition also features the World Youth Wind Symphony, under the direction of Kevin Sedatole, performing Percy Aldridge Grainger's “Molly on the Shore,” Edwin Franko Goldman's “Interlochen Bowl March,” and Benjamin Horne's “Spiritual Symphony.”
Creston Herron, Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Kansas and Coordinator of Orchestras at Interlochen Arts Camp, will lead Interlochen Arts Camp students in the 99th annual performance of “Les Préludes,” continuing one of Interlochen's most treasured traditions and concluding the Camp's 99th season.
One of the most anticipated events of each summer, “Les Préludes” brings together the Camp's three high school instrumental ensembles, the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, Interlochen Philharmonic, and World Youth Wind Symphony, for a stirring performance of Franz Liszt's tone poem of the same name. Dancers from the Interlochen Summer Dance Ensemble perform alongside the musicians, filling the aisles and even the roof of the Interlochen Bowl in a powerful celebration of artistry, collaboration, and creative growth.
The tradition dates back to the first season of the National High School Orchestra Camp in 1928, when Interlochen founder Dr. Joseph Maddy selected “Les Préludes” as the final work on the Camp's closing orchestra concert. Maddy believed the piece's title, which translates as "the beginnings," would remind students that the end of Camp marks the beginning of the next chapter in their artistic journey. Inspired by both the music and its meaning, students requested to perform the work again the following summer, beginning a tradition that has endured for 99 seasons.
Over nearly a century, Interlochen has evolved in countless ways. New artistic disciplines have been introduced, new facilities have transformed the campus, and generations of young artists have carried the inspiration they found beneath the pines into communities around the world. Yet every summer since 1928 has concluded with a performance of “Les Préludes,” serving as a timeless reminder that endings and beginnings are often one and the same.
This year's performance carries special significance as it concludes Interlochen's 99th season and looks ahead to the institution's Centennial in 2027. Next summer, Interlochen will celebrate 100 seasons of Arts Camp and a century of inspiring young artists to pursue lives of purpose, creativity, and connection. Special Centennial events and opportunities for alumni to participate in the historic 100th performance of “Les Préludes” will be announced in the coming months.
The evening will begin with the World Youth Wind Symphony under the direction of Kevin Sedatole. The ensemble will perform Percy Aldridge “Grainger's Molly on the Shore,” Edwin Franko Goldman's “Interlochen Bowl March,” and Benjamin Horne's “Spiritual Symphony” before the combined ensembles take the stage for the tradition's inspiring finale.
The 99th annual performance of “Les Préludes” will take place Sunday, Aug. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Interlochen Bowl and will be webcast live on Interlochen's website. The event is free, and tickets are not required.