Who is Florence Price? Find out at a free Philadelphia Orchestra concert Saturday

The Philadelphia Orchestra takes its exploration of composer Florence Price to more audiences Saturday morning with a free concert at Verizon Hall.

Students from New York’s Special Music School at the Kaufman Music Center have created a libretto about the composer and their writing of the book Who is Florence Price? The resulting work, about 45 minutes long, weaves that libretto with the orchestra playing excerpts from Price’s works. Kaufman students will play solos on some pieces.

Price’s works have breathed new life into the orchestra’s repertoire and brought the ensemble its first Grammy. The pioneering composer made history in 1933 as the first Black woman to have a work played by a major orchestra when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed her Symphony No. 1.

“It not only celebrates Florence Price, but follows the journey of the kids discovering the music, which I find fascinating,” says Lina González-Granados, who will conduct the free family concert.

The orchestra doesn’t do many free concerts, but when ticket sales flagged, the group decided to throw open the doors. Online ticket reservations are suggested, but a spokesperson said no one who shows up will be turned away. The orchestra hopes to connect with a wider audience through more free performances in the future.

Saturday’s concert is the second visit by Kaufman students, who presented a live version of their book in the Kimmel lobby in February 2022. The concept was expanded, and the students were invited back to perform with the orchestra.

González-Granados says part of the value of the experience is in putting students in charge of the story — “telling music history as they want to see it in the future.” That, in turn, echoes into the audience and “should be empowering for parents and families alike to let kids take ownership of their own stories,” she says.

Among the works the orchestra will perform interspersed with the libretto are excerpts from Price’s symphonies and concertos.

The ensemble has been on a yearslong exploration of Price’s music, after her manuscripts were found in the attic of a Chicago-area house in 2009. As a Black woman, Price came up against closed career doors. She died in 1953. It is only recently that more musicians and ensembles have been programming her music, and a more complete compositional profile of the artist is emerging.

“I think she has the potential to be one of the greatest symphonists of American music,” said González-Granados, referring to the fact that her musical scores are still emerging. “And the more that I hear her music, the more I see someone who is unafraid to speak her mind. Her pieces are extremely original. Her piano pieces come with a specific light, a brightness, and the brightness comes from her bravery. Her pieces got freer and freer and freer.”

The Philadelphia Orchestra led by Lina González-Granados performs works of Florence Price on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in Verizon Hall, Broad and Spruce Streets. Tickets are free and listeners are welcome to just show up, but patrons who want to book a specific seat should reserve tickets in advance. philorch.org, 215-893-1999.