This year’s One City, One Symphony concerts being held November 13-14, 2015, at Music Hall center on the theme of freedom, featuring a new CSO commission of three short works that set selections of Dr. Maya Angelou’s poetry to music, a particularly befitting tribute to this warrior for peace, justice and love, and Dvořák’s New World Symphony, one of the most beloved symphonies of all time. This musical celebration of the promise of freedom music coincides with the 150th anniversary of the 13th Amendment.

Seeking to engage the community in discussion around One City, One Symphony and the theme of freedom, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, with support from the Haile U.S. Bank Foundation, is holding a poetry contest. The original poem submissions will be responses to the question, “What does freedom mean to you?” 

This poetry contest is open to legal residents of the states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana enrolled in grades 9-12 or adults age 18 or older at time of entry.

For entrants seeking inspiration for their writing, the CSO recommends reading the three poems by Dr. Maya Angelou being used in the CSO commissioned works at One City, One Symphony. Those poems by Dr. Maya Angelou are Forgive, Equality, and Elegy. The CSO also recommends listening to Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 From the New World. This recommended reading and listening is merely a suggestion and is not a requirement of entrants and will not be taken into consideration during the judging of submissions.

For more information about One City, One Symphony and for official contest rules, visit cincinnatisymphony.org/onecity.