Struggling Stockton, Calif. Finds Solace In New Orchestral Score

The city, whose government is nearing bankruptcy, has so many problems that it topped last year’s Forbes list of America’s most miserable cities. The Stockton Symphony’s commission of a new piece by composer Avner Dorman – and the local workshops and tryouts Dorman held as part of the process – are starting to break down some barriers between the beleaguered residents.