The Freako Diva now returns with an article on the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Orchestra Concert that took place on November 7. Before I write anything about the concert itself, I want to mention that the SOTA Orchestra department has a new director, Tristan Arnold. I attended the Instrumental Fall Concert, but I didn't have time to write anything about it; so, here's the Orchestra concert, featuring Director Tristan Arnold and the SOTA Orchestra.
The evening was opened with full orchestra performing the overture to The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This piece was performed at a very professional level, setting the evening to a good start. The next two pieces performed, First Movement, Sinfonia No.8 by Felix Mendelssohn and Fugue from Concerto Grosso No. 1 by Ernest Bloch. Both of these pieces were performed with excitement, expressing the separate characters of the two pieces. The Concerto Grosso No. 1 concluded the first half of the concert, leaving the audience looking forward to the second half.
After intermission, the concert orchestra performed American Sketches: A Fantasy for Orchestra by Joshua Reznicow and the full orchestra performed the first suite of Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg. Peer Gynt was performed with lots of vigorous passion and uncovered enthusiasm. Starting with Morning Mood, Maestro Arnold lulled the audience into a trance, and then during The Death of Åse the orchestra expressed the emotional distress experienced by Peer Gynt during his mother's death. The wild and sexy Anitra's Dance was performed very energetically, expressing the passion and lust of Anitra. In The Hall of the Mountain King was the last to be performed, and the best. With the percussionists in the left corner, and the melody being played in a low, husky whisper, this piece kept the suspense going. The spooky performance was very picturesque, letting the audience imagine the mountain, and then the hall, and then the King himself (as the climax was reached). As Maestro Arnold conducted this piece, a chill ran down everybody's spine; and as the climax was reached, the entire audience was on the edge of their seats.
Special thanks to the spectacular tech crew including Dexter Chew as stage manager, Maia Cluver as Lead Lights, Nina Patchell as Assistant Lights, Tristan Burnham as Lead Sound, and Jack Gramling as Assistant Sound.
This Orchestra performance was very entertaining and professional in nature. I can't wait for the Vocal/Instrumental collaboration that will be coming up in December. Hope to see you there!
The evening was opened with full orchestra performing the overture to The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This piece was performed at a very professional level, setting the evening to a good start. The next two pieces performed, First Movement, Sinfonia No.8 by Felix Mendelssohn and Fugue from Concerto Grosso No. 1 by Ernest Bloch. Both of these pieces were performed with excitement, expressing the separate characters of the two pieces. The Concerto Grosso No. 1 concluded the first half of the concert, leaving the audience looking forward to the second half.
After intermission, the concert orchestra performed American Sketches: A Fantasy for Orchestra by Joshua Reznicow and the full orchestra performed the first suite of Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg. Peer Gynt was performed with lots of vigorous passion and uncovered enthusiasm. Starting with Morning Mood, Maestro Arnold lulled the audience into a trance, and then during The Death of Åse the orchestra expressed the emotional distress experienced by Peer Gynt during his mother's death. The wild and sexy Anitra's Dance was performed very energetically, expressing the passion and lust of Anitra. In The Hall of the Mountain King was the last to be performed, and the best. With the percussionists in the left corner, and the melody being played in a low, husky whisper, this piece kept the suspense going. The spooky performance was very picturesque, letting the audience imagine the mountain, and then the hall, and then the King himself (as the climax was reached). As Maestro Arnold conducted this piece, a chill ran down everybody's spine; and as the climax was reached, the entire audience was on the edge of their seats.
Special thanks to the spectacular tech crew including Dexter Chew as stage manager, Maia Cluver as Lead Lights, Nina Patchell as Assistant Lights, Tristan Burnham as Lead Sound, and Jack Gramling as Assistant Sound.
This Orchestra performance was very entertaining and professional in nature. I can't wait for the Vocal/Instrumental collaboration that will be coming up in December. Hope to see you there!
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