A large audience attended the Chamber and Symphony Orchestra concert on Saturday night in the Chapel, eager to listen to the diverse pieces that students were about to perform. The Corelli Ensemble opened the concert with the “Concertino for String Orchestra,” composed by Samuel Adler. The piece, divided into three sections, the allegro molto, the andante and the allegro con brio brought variation to the concert, swinging from lively trills to slower whole notes. The strong tones created a cheerful and lighthearted first section that morphed in a longing melody in the andante section. The last part brought a merrier tone to the chapel, ending the concertino in high spirits. The Amadeus Ensemble accompanied Marilyn Harris ’11 in the “Exsultate Jubilate, KV 165” by Wolfgang A. Mozart. This performance introduced the first of the two senior concertos of the night. Harris sang expressively as the solo vocalist, evoking many emotions from the audience. Harris artfully sang the melismatic melody that emphasized the playful and jocund side of the piece. “I felt really good about the performance, honestly it was so much fun to be up there,” said Harris. The Academy Chamber Orchestra took up with stage with the “Lyric for Strings” by George Walker. They began the piece with a mysterious and sorrow ful tune, but brought the mood back up with a climax of pure joy. Next, the oboes guided Academy Chamber Orchestra through the “Hebrides Overture” by Felix Mendelssohn with their dynamic accents. The powerful combination of alternating instrumental tones throughout the piece calmed at the peak of the song, but wove passionately together at the end. The Academy Symphony Orchestra stepped up next with the “Pavane, Op.50” composed by Gabriel Fauré. The piece began with the flute’s eerie theme and progressive pizzicato of the violins and cellos. The repeating theme added an intriguing contrast to the rest of the melody, showcasing the sweet sound of the flute. In the first section of the “Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20A” by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the Academy Symphony Orchestra performed the wellknown theme, while also giving the piece more force and a darker tone. The second section differed from the first with its elated and conclusive tone, emphasized by the percussionist’s powerful beats. The change of a carefree and potent feel brought an emotional and a majestic sense to the final segment. Stephanie Liu ’11 came to stage with the “Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47” by Jean Sibelius, accompanied by the Academy Symphony Orchestra. Liu did an outstanding job performing a challenging first section, full of fast paced scales and trills. “Preparing for it was a long and strenuous process, I guess. I fell in love with the piece when I first read it three years ago and ever since then I’ve wanted to try it and see if I could do it. I was really nervous today, and I think that there are definitely things I could have done better, but I enjoyed every minute of the performance and am so grateful for this opportunity,” said Liu, who left the concert submerged in bouquets of flowers. The violin’s determined melody along with the defiant theme repeated throughout the piece truly captivated the audience. The audience members were on their feet, rewarding the orchestra with a standing ovation even before the short crisp note ended the performance. “I’m really glad that we ended with Stephanie’s piece, because we usually don’t end with the soloist. I thought Stephanie had a great ending for the piece and especially the way she played it was pretty amazing” said Madeline Tucker ’11, the principal cellist. “The performance was amazing. I’m just glad that I could be a part of it,” said Graydon Tope ’14, a violinist. Describing her mode of practice, Daphne Xu ’14, a violinist, said, “We go to two orchestra sessions a week, and for individual practicing, I would try to practice once a day.” “The soloists were amazing and everybody did their best” said Jenna Shin ’14, concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra.
