Harmonia’s theme this season is “Dialogue,” and we hope it will give you plenty to talk about! I personally find that music is the very best spark for conversation, because a particular work will necessarily mean something different to every person who comes into contact with it, from the composer who wrote it, to the musicians who perform it, to the myriad listeners who hear it.

The great thing about a great cultural tradition such as classical music is that with every new work, an artist is responding to other artists. These musical dialogues can take place over the course of days or of centuries, and we all get to eavesdrop on the conversation.

And the conversation continues! This season we’ll hear new music from the minds of some of Harmonia’s most beloved composer-collaborators, as they respond to the world around them and the music and texts that inspire them.

Musical dialogue isn’t just a private conversation between composers. Musicians “speak” to each other every time they perform together, but our “final collaborator” is always the audience. You might not realize just how much you’re telling us with your reactions, even small ones, as you listen to the sounds we produce from the stage. On behalf of my colleagues, I thank you for being part of the dialogue this season, and I can’t wait to hear what you think.

William White, Harmonia music director