For Joe Jaxson, notes are more than symbols on a page. As Richmond Symphony attendees will soon hear, the Gen Z composer has a talent for transforming an orchestra into a chorus of storytellers.

On March 22 and 23, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, led by Valentina Peleggi, performs “Born in the Iron Grip,” a new work by Jaxson. The piece portrays the journey of tennis legend Arthur Ashe from a quietly determined athlete to an outspoken advocate for civil rights and social justice. The program also includes Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.

Jaxson’s goal? “To show how [Ashe] used his talent, his passion for tennis, to fight back against legal segregation.”

 Arthur Ashe
 

In 2023, Richmond Symphony Vice President of Artistic Planning & Orchestral Operations Matt Wilshire contacted Jaxson while he was completing a master’s degree in music at the University of Texas at Aus- tin. Wilshire shared a list of trailblazing

Richmonders who might serve as points of inspiration. Jaxson considered a suite that combined character studies, but Ashe’s story proved uniquely evocative. So did the timing of the collaboration; this year marks the 50th anniversary of Ashe becoming the first Black man to win a Wimbledon singles title.

When characterizing Ashe, Jaxson turned to the euphonium, a higher-pitched relative of the tuba. The instrument’s tone and strength seemed to reflect Ashe’s own disposition. “I thought it would best match the calm yet demanding undertones that Arthur Ashe [showed] throughout his life,” Jaxson said.

There are parallels between Ashe and Jaxson himself. Both grew up in Central Virginia — Ashe in Richmond and Jaxson in Staunton, where the future composer was one of two Black children in his elementary school. Jaxson played tennis when he was younger and said if he’d decided to get serious about a sport it would have been tennis.

There’s also the feedback Jaxson has received along his journey toward finding his voice as a composer. Some — festival organizers, for example — have pushed for more expressionism.

“I’m not taking enough calculated risks, or I need to be exploring more, rather than performing perfect somersaults,” Jaxson cites. He hears echoes of Ashe’s critics, who insisted the tennis player lead more vocally in the fight against segregation. His response, as Jaxson points out, was “I don’t use my mouth. I use my racket.”

One risk Jaxson did decide to take with the commission was to work with the symphony’s percussionists to sonically recreate Ashe’s historic 1975 battle with Jimmy Connors using actual tennis rackets.

“I want to bring the audience to the tennis court of Wimbledon,” he said.

For more information, visit richmondsymphony.com. Tickets for the performances on March 22-23 are $15-$86.