In the first half of the concert, HPO performs Edvard Grieg’s orchestral suite Sigurd Jorsalfar – celebrating Sigurd the Crusader, a 12th-century king of Norway – and music from John Williams’ score to Star Wars, which includes the memorable “Imperial March” heralding Darth Vader’s entrance, “Princess Leia's Theme,” and the main Star Wars theme.
Then, the HYSO takes the stage to perform the energetic Overture to Benvenuto Cellini, one of Berlioz’s more commonly performed works which features beautiful melodies and quirky rhythms.
HYSO Conductor Apprentice Annaliese White conducts the Intermezzo movement from Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2, which features stoic moments mixed with soaring operatic melodies typical of Bizet.
HYSO Concerto Competition Winner Elizabeth Runion is the featured flute soloist in Fantasie Brilliante on Themes from Bizet’s Carmen. This virtuoso work for flute by François Borne contains melodies from the opera.
The HYSO performs “Escapades” from John Williams’ movie score to Catch Me If You Can, which captures moods from the movie through the use of jazz idioms. The HYSO will be joined for this piece by guests Nancy Boone-Bahr, a Hochstein faculty member, on saxophone; Austin Keck, an Eastman School master’s student, on vibraphone; and David Kluge – a local musician, composer, and educator – on bass.
The concert closes with the HYSO performing the last two movements of Tchaikovsky’s buoyant Symphony No. 4, written during a time of personal upheaval in the composer’s life. HYSO Director Casey Springstead says, “The fourth movement of Symphony No. 4 is a fiery finale and one of Tchaikovsky’s most exciting endings to a work.”
Click here to read the full program notes.
Before the concert, beginning at 1:40 pm, enjoy chamber music by two Chamber Music Connections ensembles:
Qoolest Quartet: Eden Shin, violin; Youyou Wu, violin; Taylor Stocks, viola; Oliver Hood, cello; Miya Saito-Beckman, coach
Clarinet Choir: Mathew Atalla; Carly Giebel; Michael Shi; Jordyn Stocks; Carl Galland, coach
Tickets at the door: $5 general admission.
This concert will be livestreamed, on Hochstein’s YouTube channel, for those not able to attend the concert in person. Click here.
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The Hochstein Orchestra and Chamber Music Programs are supported in part by the Louise Alfreda Hill Memorial Fund.
Hochstein programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.