David Lang’s New ‘Symphony For A Broken Orchestra’ (He Means That Title Literally)

The Pultizer-winning composer (The Little Match Girl Passion) has written the piece for 400 musicians, all playing damaged instruments from Philadelphia’s public school system. (The work was created as a one-time fundraiser – the money will be spent to repair the instruments and return them to Philly classrooms – but other school districts are already asking to perform the score.) Reporter Samantha Melamed checks out a rehearsal and talks to the composer about how to write music for instruments that are, by their natures (because they’re broken), unreliable.