Denver, CO – April 14, 2026 – The Colorado Symphony will explore what Clyfford Still’s paintings might sound like when translated into music during Music and Art: A Symphonic Exploration on May 7 at Boettcher Concert Hall.
The program features the premiere of composer James Clarke’s new work Symphony No. 2, inspired by Still’s art and commissioned by the Clyfford Still Museum. The program also includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and Adam Schoenberg’s Finding Rothko.
Before the performance, the Museum will host a reception with Clarke at the Boettcher Concert Hall. Tickets are available for the reception and the performance, or only for the performance. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., and the performance starts at 7:30 p.m. Visit clyffordstillmuseum.org/events for more information.
Clarke conducted archival and collections research as a Clyfford Still Museum Research Center Senior Fellow in 2017 and 2018 to provide background and preparation for the original symphonic composition. The Museum’s Research Center facilitated interdisciplinary research from 2013 to 2018. The Still’s current research arm, the Institute Residential Fellowship, began in 2024 and encourages innovation that draws upon the work and legacy of Clyfford Still in art, scholarship, and practice.
About James Clarke
London-based composer James Clarke conducted archival and collections research at the Clyfford Still Museum as background and preparation for the original symphonic composition inspired by Still’s art. Clarke is a pioneering composer in contemporary classical music. He graduated with a degree in the scientific analysis of music at the University of London and a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Leeds. After teaching engagements in the UK, Germany, and Austria, he was appointed Professor of Music at the University of Baku and is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute of Musical Research at the University of London. His music has been performed in major concert halls and contemporary music festivals in over 40 countries. He has a special interest in the formal and intellectual relationships between abstract visual art and music.
About the Clyfford Still Museum
Home to the art and legacy of the American painter Clyfford Still, we invite all to explore the potential of individual creative endeavor. Designed specifically to display Clyfford Still’s art, the award-winning Clyfford Still Museum is home to nearly everything he created, approximately 3,125 pieces representing 93% of his lifetime of work. The Museum supports new artistic endeavors, inviting visitors to draw strength from Still’s art and life. At the Still, visitors will find a world-class collection gifted to the City and County of Denver, award-winning architecture, cross-disciplinary programs for all ages, and opportunities to explore their own creativity. Exhibitions stimulate curiosity and explore multiple perspectives. The Still invites visitors to refresh, recharge, and reconnect with joy. Connect with the Clyfford Still Museum on Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, or at clyffordstillmuseum.org.
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