CENTERblog

Review of the Anchorage Youth Symphony performance (“Autumn Reverie”)
by Emily Klopfer - Dimond High School

“Without great music, education is not complete.” This is the belief of the Anchorage Youth Symphony.

Tuesday, November 17 the Anchorage Youth Symphony gave a joint concert with the Anchorage Junior Youth Symphony, entitled, “Autumn Reverie.”

The seven o’clock performance opened with the Anchorage Junior Youth Symphony. A moment of collective tuning welcomed their conductor, Daniel Whitfield to the stage. With a signal from Whitfield, the orchestra launched into the recognizable “Prelude to Carmen,” written by Georges Bizet and arranged by Casey Kriechbaum, from the play, Carmen. While the one small horn portion of the piece was good, it soon became apparent that the strings were the shining section of this orchestra.

“Contraption,” the following song, changed the mood of the concert to a more dark and edgy feeling. During this piece, written by Brendan McBrien, the string section was still the superior portion of the orchestra. The song ended with the lingering sound of the percussion section.

Eunice Kang led the third song of the evening with a flawless violin solo. “Ashokan Farewell,” written by Jay Ungar and arranged by Bob Cerulli, changed the mood of the night yet again. Kang’s violin solo was joined in increments by the rest of the orchestra, the percussion being the last instruments heard to join this mournful tune.

“Romany Dances,” written by Elliot Del Borgo, was the final song of the night for the Anchorage Junior Youth Symphony. The violinists were the musicians to watch during this piece. Their dedication and rigorous practice was apparent by watching the enthusiasm with which they played. A clarinet solo during the piece added a nice glimpse at the woodwinds, however, the string section provided the more clear-sounding and crisp notes throughout the first half of the performance.

Intermission followed the Anchorage Junior Youth Symphony’s performance and preceded the Anchorage Youth Symphony.

Linn Weeda, the conductor for the Anchorage Youth Symphony, began the performance with a piece from Ludwig van Beethoven titled “Coriolan Overture.” Riddled throughout the song were areas in which the orchestra ceased playing, then began again. In these areas, the orchestra stopped with precision, leaving their last notes resonating and lingering in the ears of the audience, then began again with sharp, crisp notes. The verbato sounds of the string section could be clearly heard, along with the woodwinds.

“Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2,” composed by Franz Liszt, was the second song of the evening for the Anchorage Youth Symphony. This particular rhapsody showcased the cellos and the string basses, along with a clarinetist who had three separate solos. The low, vibrating sounds of the cellos and string bases accentuated the darker tone of the piece. Half way through the song, however, the mood suddenly changed to a more staccato and upbeat feeling. The cellos plucked at their strings instead of using their bows, which gave the piece a harmonious underlying beat. Towards the end of the piece, the song became more hectic with many notes being played in quick succession.

Arturo Marquez wrote the final song for the evening, called “Danzon No. 2.” The song began with the percussion and was soon followed by a clarinet solo. A piccolo solo could be heard next, followed by a piano solo. A solitary violinist began to play once the piano had ended, the last instrument in the string of solos. After a short focus on the brass, there was a pause in which the audience was unsure of whether or not to clap. Before the audience had made their decision, the orchestra came back with a powerful ending to conclude the performance.

The Anchorage Youth Symphony and the Anchorage Junior Youth Symphony provide a venue for students to improve their skills and further their talent. Their potential and the talent they already possess, combined with their dedication and hard work, was definitely apparent in Tuesday’s “Autumn Reverie.”

* Before they began their performance, Weeda took a couple moments to thank everyone for helping with the Anchorage Youth Symphony program, and to demonstrate the sound of the new donated cello. Zach Atkins of the Anchorage Youth Symphony had the pleasure of playing on the cello that was donated by the Rasmusson Foundation. The cello had longer string length, which allowed Atkins to play deeper notes than a regular cello.

Autumn Reverie

Anchorage Youth Symphony

November 17, 2009 at 7:00pm

The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, Discovery Theatre