Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
Ever hear that classical music makes you more focused, more able to study, and generally smarter? I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but after enjoying the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s first performance in their 2003-2004 Classical Concert series, I certainly don’t see how it couldn’t be.
Composed of 65 members and founded in 1896, the BSO is a shining example of wonderful talent and hard work. Led by maestro Xiao- Lu Li, whose musical attributes and experiences abound, the orchestra gave a performance that left young and old feeling as if they had just experienced something bigger than themselves.
The concert opened with a drum roll and the National Anthem, and then moved directly on to the first piece, entitled “XL” by J. Mark Scearce, who was there to witness the performance. It was an enticing way to open the series – the piece perfectly showcased the talents of both the orchestra and the conductor.
Following “XL” was Niccolo Paganini’s Violin Concerto No.1 in D major. I’ll admit, the first movement was a little lengthy, but there’s a difference between disliking composition and disliking performance. The BSO set the stage wonderfully for the upcoming movement, featuring guest violinist Corey Cerovsek.
Cerovsek’s amazing performance was not really a big surprise considering he began playing at the age of five, graduated from the University of Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music at age 12, and went on to receive his bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and music at 15, both masters at 16, and then finished his doctoral work in both at 18. My question is, where did he find time for pizza and sleep? It seemed that he was not really playing the violin, but more that the violin was playing him. There were some incredibly difficult arpeggios that flowed through him into his instrument, and though I didn’t see the score, some of those notes seemed so high off the staff that they’d need a parachute to come back down. Following an intermission, the orchestra performed Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor. An incredibly beautiful – and incredibly long – piece, it was a great way to conclude the performance.
The musicianship present on the stage in the Maine Center for the Arts was breathtaking. Prior to each concert, the orchestra rehearses about six times in two or three hour blocks. With an energetic conductor and devoted instrumentalists, some of which are UMaine professors and staff, the performances should not be missed by anyone on this campus.
The concert wasn’t perfect: the strings had a tendency to overpower the brass and woodwinds, and that dynamic tended to lack energy in some of the quieter spots in the pieces. Never mind the fact that I had a few middle-aged guys in front of me who whispered through the entire concert and at intermission enlightened me of their comparison of the BSO to ZZ Top. But those are minor things – it was pleasurable to listen to and very well attended.
The BSO performances are free for UMaine students. They will perform four more classical concerts and a finale at the MCA this season. In addition, they will present “The Nutcracker” with the Robinson Ballet Company, a tradition for 19 years, and in April they will perform with the University of Maine Singers and the Oratorio Society.
Preceding every performance in the Classical Concert series is a preview with musicologist David Klocko, who leads an informative discussion on the upcoming pieces. All performances in the Concert Series are held at 3 p.m. at the MCA. Tickets are sold as season passes or on an individual basis for non-students, and free or charged tickets should be reserved by calling 207-942-5555 or 800-639-3221, or by visiting www.bangorsymphony.com.
The only way executive director Susan Jonason can describe what viewers have to look forward to this season is “more of this!” If you don’t yet know what the “this” is, you should come to the next performance on Nov. 9, because the year is definitely looking strong for the BSO.
