~Concert Program~
Experience an evening of sweeping musical landscapes, from the stillness of the sea to the infinite expanse of the stars. Epic Landscapes: Earth and Sky explores the beauty, mystery, and grandeur of the natural world—and the imagination that carries us beyond it.
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The journey begins with Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, a vivid orchestral portrait that moves from quiet, suspended stillness into brilliant forward motion. The program continues with Jacob Evarts’ Concerto for Horn and Orchestra, placing the horn’s heroic, lyrical voice at the center of a bold contemporary work.
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After intermission, choir and orchestra turn their gaze toward the beauty of the world around us with beloved favorites What a Wonderful World and Blue Skies. Then, the evening leaves Earth behind entirely as the Lawrenceville Symphony Orchestra launches into John Williams’ iconic Star Wars Suite for Orchestra.
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From peaceful horizons to soaring melodies, brilliant brass, cinematic excitement, and the vastness of space, this concert is a celebration of wonder on the grandest possible scale.
James Naigus
Dr. James Naigus is Associate Professor of Horn at the University of Georgia, hornist with the Georgia Brass Quintet, and a Yamaha Performing Artist. An active performer, educator, and composer, he is dedicated to inspiring musicians through creativity, innovation, and artistic excellence.
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Naigus frequently performs with the Atlanta Symphony and Charleston Symphony and has appeared with numerous orchestras and ensembles throughout the United States and internationally. He is also co-founder of the Cor Moto Horn Duo and a regular performer and clinician at regional and international horn workshops. In 2024, he received UGA’s prestigious Michael F. Adams Early Career Scholar Award.
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A prolific composer with more than 100 published works, Naigus has had music performed by organizations including the New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, West Point Band, and Music Academy of the West. He is also an award-winning film composer and has written commercial music for clients including Google.
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Naigus holds a DMA from the University of Iowa and degrees from the University of Florida and University of Michigan. His teaching and creative interests include horn performance, music theory, composition, film music, and music technology.
Jacob Evarts
Jacob Evarts (b. 2003) is an award-winning composer of concert and media music. His works have been performed internationally by ensembles including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the US Naval Academy Band, and the Orlando Philharmonic. He began composing at age 10 and went on to win the Georgia Music Educators Composition Competition for five consecutive years. His orchestral piece Wonder of the World was selected by the 2022 National Young Composers Challenge, and in 2025, he won first place in the International Horn Society Composition Contest for his Concerto for Horn and Orchestra. He won 2nd place in the 2025 American Prize in Composition (wind band division) with his piece An Opening Fanfare.
Jacob holds a B.M. in Composition with a certificate in Film and Media Scoring from the University of Georgia, where he studied horn and composition. In addition to concert music, he has scored student films and promotional content for UGA. He currently lives in the North Georgia mountains with his family, where he enjoys the peace and quiet to write!