UA Symphony Orchestra performs classic and contemporary repertoire
Saba Naseem
Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: Lifestyles
The Fulbright College Department of Music will feature the UA Symphony Orchestra in concert 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Walton Arts Center.
The University Orchestra is made up of superior student musicians from the UA and presents a minimum of two concerts a semester, covering a repertoire skimming from Bach to the present, including great masterpieces of symphonic literature, according to a press release.
The orchestra will open with Carl Nielsen's "Concerto for flute and orchestra" featuring flute soloist Allison Rasche, the winner of the UA music department's Concert Competition.
"This work is a series of conversations between the flute and various members of the orchestra," said Robert Mueller, conductor of the UA Symphony Orchestra.
The second piece is Dmitri Shostakovich's "Violin Concerto No. 1" featuring violin soloist Er-Gene Kahng, a UA violin professor.
"As a violinist, Shostakovich's work is very fulfilling," said Er-Gene Kahng. "It speaks to me, and, despite its moments of weakness, it is a profound work."
Kahng said that preparing this piece was slow, patient work.
"After understanding the technical aspect and the musical aspect, I had to work on the introspective part," she said. "I had to look at myself as a performer and think about what I, as an individual, wanted to bring to the piece."
The concerto is one of the most difficult pieces written for the violin, Mueller said.
"Only a handful of people can play it, and Er-Gene is one of them," he said.
The concert will close with the finale from the "Fourth Symphony" of Johannes Brahms.
"This is a reassuring musical anthem after a kind of fateful struggle at the opening," Mueller said. "I chose Brahms to end the concert on a very positive and powerful note."
The orchestra has been working on this music since the beginning of the semester. The next performance is April 18.
"We will combine forces with the Schola Cantorum and the Master Choral for the German Requiem of Johannes Brahms, which has never been performed in its entirety in Fayetteville for a large audience in at least 20 years," Mueller said.
Mueller and Kahng said they've enjoyed their time with the orchestra.
"I really enjoyed working with the orchestra," Kahng said. "Robert Mueller does a great job leading the orchestra, and the students are very responsive."
Mueller said the students are very gifted musicians and hard workers.
"The best payoff for their hard work would be to perform for a sold-out audience," he said.
Admission for the concert will be $10 for the general public, $5 for senior citizens and $1 for UA students. Tickets will be available at the door.
For more information, contact the Department of Music at 575-4701 or visit its Web site at Music.uark.edu.
The University Orchestra is made up of superior student musicians from the UA and presents a minimum of two concerts a semester, covering a repertoire skimming from Bach to the present, including great masterpieces of symphonic literature, according to a press release.
The orchestra will open with Carl Nielsen's "Concerto for flute and orchestra" featuring flute soloist Allison Rasche, the winner of the UA music department's Concert Competition.
"This work is a series of conversations between the flute and various members of the orchestra," said Robert Mueller, conductor of the UA Symphony Orchestra.
The second piece is Dmitri Shostakovich's "Violin Concerto No. 1" featuring violin soloist Er-Gene Kahng, a UA violin professor.
"As a violinist, Shostakovich's work is very fulfilling," said Er-Gene Kahng. "It speaks to me, and, despite its moments of weakness, it is a profound work."
Kahng said that preparing this piece was slow, patient work.
"After understanding the technical aspect and the musical aspect, I had to work on the introspective part," she said. "I had to look at myself as a performer and think about what I, as an individual, wanted to bring to the piece."
The concerto is one of the most difficult pieces written for the violin, Mueller said.
"Only a handful of people can play it, and Er-Gene is one of them," he said.
The concert will close with the finale from the "Fourth Symphony" of Johannes Brahms.
"This is a reassuring musical anthem after a kind of fateful struggle at the opening," Mueller said. "I chose Brahms to end the concert on a very positive and powerful note."
The orchestra has been working on this music since the beginning of the semester. The next performance is April 18.
"We will combine forces with the Schola Cantorum and the Master Choral for the German Requiem of Johannes Brahms, which has never been performed in its entirety in Fayetteville for a large audience in at least 20 years," Mueller said.
Mueller and Kahng said they've enjoyed their time with the orchestra.
"I really enjoyed working with the orchestra," Kahng said. "Robert Mueller does a great job leading the orchestra, and the students are very responsive."
Mueller said the students are very gifted musicians and hard workers.
"The best payoff for their hard work would be to perform for a sold-out audience," he said.
Admission for the concert will be $10 for the general public, $5 for senior citizens and $1 for UA students. Tickets will be available at the door.
For more information, contact the Department of Music at 575-4701 or visit its Web site at Music.uark.edu.
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