Alma Symphony Orchestra Celebrates Romantic Russia
Romantic music from Russia, including the colorful “Pictures at an
Exhibition,” along with guest cellist James Fiste will highlight the
Alma Symphony Orchestra’s second performance of the 2008-09 season.
The concert takes place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23 in the Remick
Heritage Center at Alma College. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for
seniors 62 and up, and free for Alma College staff, students and youth
18 and under. Seating is reserved. Call (989) 463-7304 for ticket
information.
The ASO, in its 49th season, is conducted by Music Director Murray
Gross. The approximately 65-member orchestra comprises a mixture of
Alma College student musicians and professional performers.
Murray
Gross (right) discusses "Pictures At an Exhibition" during a recent
visit to Alma Middle School. Student illustrations will be on display
in the Remick Heritage Center when the Alma Sympony Orchestra performs
the piece.
“Pictures at an Exhibition,” originally composed by Modest
Mussorgsky as a piano work, has been orchestrated by many different
composers over the years, says Gross.
“We’re doing an orchestration by English composer Carl Simpson that is
very descriptive,” says Gross. “The work is based on pictures
that Muggorsky saw on display. The different movements are related to
particular pictures, which range from dark and scary to light and fun,
like the one titled ‘Ballet of Chicks in Their Shells.’ It ends with
‘The Great Gate of Kiev,’ a big Russian hymn that is very dramatic and
colorful.”
Fiste will join the orchestra as soloist for Tchaikovsky’s “Variations
on a Rococo Theme.” An active recitalist and orchestral player, Fiste
has performed as a soloist at concerts around the world, including
Budapest, Paris and Barcelona.
“Tchaikovsky’s ‘Variations’ really shows off the solo cello and
orchestra,” says Gross. “It is a real challenge for the soloist, and
it’s good experience for the orchestra to accompany such a fine
performer.”
Other works on the program include Polonaise from “Christmas Eve” by
Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov and “Vocalise” by Sergei Rachmaninoff.
“The very rhythmic Polonaise will be a terrific way to open our
concert, while ‘Vocalise’ is very romantic Russian music, a gorgeous
tune played by violins,” says Gross.
A former member of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Fiste is
co-artistic director for the Plymouth Chamber Music Festival in
Plymouth, Mass., and was a founding member of the Stonehill Trio, in
residence at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. Along with teaching
cello at Alma College, Fiste is associate professor of cello at Central
Michigan University.
Posted: Fri, November 14th, 2008 at 8:10AM
