07 Apr 2025 Arkansas Symphony Orchestra releases recording of ‘The Wind and Petit Jean’

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has released its February 2024 recording of “The Wind and Petit Jean” by Grammy Award-nominated composer Christopher Theofanidis on major music streaming platforms. 

Originally commissioned in 2013 by ASO musicians, “The Wind and Petit Jean” was dedicated to the ASO Board of Directors for their unwavering commitment during significant financial challenges for the organization. Through collective sacrifices — including pay cuts by the musicians — and dedicated leadership from the board, the ASO emerged stronger. In recognition of the musicians’ resilience, the board granted them a bonus in 2011. Rather than use the money for their personal benefit, the players used it to commission the Theofanidis piece as a thank you.

“The creation of ‘The Wind and Petit Jean’ was a special project in the history of the ASO, being a work that was commissioned directly by the association of players in the orchestra, dedicated to the ASO’s board of directors,” said ASO Music Director Geoffrey Robson. “We have now continued that story, preparing the first commercial recording of the work for worldwide release on all of the streaming platforms. It is music that is inspired by a uniquely Arkansan tale and a stunning natural landscape, performed beautifully by our state’s flagship orchestra, giving listeners a multifaceted glimpse of the rich culture of Arkansas.”

Inspired by the haunting legend of Petit Jean Mountain, Theofanidis crafted a piece that captures the mystique and emotion of Arkansas’ rich history and breathtaking landscapes. The story, rooted in 18th-century French exploration, tells of Adrienne Dumont, a young woman who disguised herself as a cabin boy, journeyed to the New World, and died on the Arkansas mountain that now bears her name. Theofanidis sought to embody the spirit of Petit Jean’s legend, imagining her voice carried by the wind through the mountaintop.

“The work on ‘The Wind and Petit Jean’ has been one of the most gratifying in recent memory — from beginning to end, everything has felt personal, and that is because of the spectacular people at the ASO,” Theofanidis said. “It was thrilling to hear this recording come to life, and I could not be more pleased with the way it has turned out! Bravissimo, ASO!”

With this release, ASO continues its mission of showcasing exceptional music that reflects the state’s cultural and artistic heritage. The recording, made during the ASO’s Masterworks performances in February 2024 at the Robinson Center, will bring the evocative sounds of Theofanidis’ composition to audiences far beyond Arkansas, ensuring that the spirit of “The Wind and Petit Jean” endures.

The captivating orchestral work is available on major music streaming platforms such as Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, and YouTube. It is also available on other services, including Pandora, iHeartRadio, 7digital, Anghami, AMI, AudibleMagic, Boomplay, Deezer, Hungama, iMusica, InProdicon, KDigital, KKBox, Kuack, Lissen, NetEase Cloud and Nuuday.