Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Concert

Last night I went to a screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on the big screen at Abravanel Hall with the magnificent score by John Williams played live by the Utah Symphony.  It was one of the coolest things I've ever done!  Apparently this is becoming a really popular thing to do because I remember the guide at the Sydney Opera House mentioning that Raiders of the Lost Ark was being screened with a live orchestra that night.  When I got a notification about this concert, I was already planning on calling the box office that same day to get opera tickets so I decided to get a ticket for this at the same time.  The agent told me that there were very few tickets left so I'm glad that I acted quickly.  In fact, they added another concert on January 3 because the first two shows sold out so quickly (go here for tickets to the January 3 show).  I absolutely loved this!  It has been a long time since I've seen the Harry Potter movies (I feel a marathon coming on over the break) and I had forgotten just how enchanting Harry's first year at Hogwarts was!  Harry, Ron, and Hermione were so little in the first movie!  Having the Utah Symphony play the music live made the movie come to life and the audience definitely responded!  They cheered when every major character was introduced, when Harry and Ron defeated the mountain troll, when Gryffindor won the Quidditch game against Slytherin, when Ron sacrificed himself in the wizard's chess game, when Harry defeated Voldemort, and when Gryffindor won the House Cup!  It was so much fun and I am glad I was able to get a ticket!  I've heard a rumor that they will eventually show all of the movies with the Utah Symphony and I certainly hope they do.  I highly recommend this experience for the whole family!

Note:  Yesterday was just about the perfect day!  I slept in scandalously late then spent most of the day with Sean going to lunch and shopping.  We draw names for stockings and Sean drew my Dad.  He needed some assistance and we ended up going all over for one essential item!  I decided to go downtown for the concert really early to avoid the crazy traffic and got there so early that I ended up going to see the lights at Temple Square (pictures coming soon).

Beethoven & Rachmaninoff

When the final bell rings to end the school day on a Friday afternoon, I am usually thrilled with the prospect of an entire weekend ahead of me.  When I have a ticket to a Utah Symphony concert on a Friday night, I am even more excited.  I left an enormous stack of argumentative essays that need to be graded on my desk and drove home with a smile on my face anticipating a concert featuring Mozart and Rachmaninoff, two of my favorite composers.  TGIF!  The concert was wonderful, definitely worthy of anticipation.  The orchestra began with Mozart's Symphony No. 19.  Mozart's music is light (not to be confused with simple), airy, and melodic filled with beautiful themes throughout each movement.  I enjoyed this piece immensely. Then soloist Jeffrey Kahane joined the orchestra for a marvelous performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2.  I especially enjoyed the second movement, which was very contemplative, and the third, which was, conversely, very lively.  After the intermission it was time for some Rachmaninoff!  The orchestra played the powerful Symphony No. 3 to the delight of the audience.  I find Rachmaninoff (and all of the Russian composers, really) to be incredibly romantic and the second movement is particularly beautiful.  I love the plaintive themes played by the various woodwinds.  Sigh!  It was the perfect way to begin the weekend!  The same program will be performed again tonight and, really, what's not to love about Mozart, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff?  Tickets can be purchased here.

Note:  If you get a ticket, give yourself some extra time to get to Abravanel Hall.  It is that time of year when driving downtown is crazy because of the lights at Temple Square.

Messiah Sing-In 2016

Last night I went to a performance of Handel's Messiah by the Utah Symphony, under the baton of guest conductor Eric Schmidt, the Westminster College Choir, the Utah Symphony Chorus, and soloists Abigail Rethwisch, Sarah Coit, Christian Sanders, and Markel Reed.  The audience is invited to sing along during the chorus and it was so much fun!  Handel's music is absolutely glorious and I especially loved "For unto us a Child is Born," "Glory to God in the Highest," and, of course, "Hallelujah!"  Markel Reed sang the baritone part at last year's performance and he was amazing.  He was amazing again this year, especially in "The trumpet shall sound."  He received thunderous applause after this section!  I was a member of the Westminster College Choir all four years of college and seeing them on the stage made me feel very nostalgic.  I used to love performing Christmas music this time of year and, to this day, I still love hearing Christmas music performed live.  The annual performance of Handel's Messiah is a wonderful tradition (I have done it now for three years) and, while I was feeling pretty festive after putting up my tree on Saturday, I am now filled with Christmas spirit after such an amazing concert!

Note:  I bought a copy of the score last year and put it in a very safe place.  Of course this necessitated a massive search of my house to find it for this year.  Luckily I found it in time.

Brahms & Tchaikovsky

It has been a tumultuous week, to say the least.  With a surprising (and disappointing) result in the national election and a massive project with my student body officers (more about that later), by the end of the day on Friday I was physically and emotionally exhausted.  I decided that a performance of Tchaikovsky's amazing Piano Concerto No.1 by the Utah Symphony was just the thing to soothe my troubled soul.  Just like last week, I went to this concert expecting to love one of the pieces and ended up really enjoying the other pieces, as well.  The orchestra began with Symphony No. 3 (also known as The Camp Meeting) by Charles Ives.  It evokes memories of the composer's childhood spent in fields listening to preachers and singing hymns and includes snippets of nineteenth century hymns, war songs, and children's games.  I loved it, especially the chimes at the end which are meant to mimic church bells.  Next, the orchestra played Symphony No. 3 by Johannes Brahms.  To be honest, this piece seemed rather bland and my mind started wandering until I was completely blown away by the third movement.  I thought the recurring melody played by the strings was incredibly romantic and I also loved when this theme was played by the horn and then echoed by the clarinet.  All through the intermission I was eagerly anticipating Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and I was thrilled to hear those instantly recognizable opening notes played by the brass!  It is an explosive burst of energy to begin an incredibly passionate piece!  Soloist Alexander Gavrylyuk played it brilliantly with such feeling and expression!  I absolutely loved watching his fingers fly up and down the keyboard!  He received an instantaneous standing ovation which prompted an encore featuring a rather theatrical version of Mendelssohn's Wedding March!  As I was leaving Abravanel Hall, two adorable little old ladies walking near me commented on what a wonderful evening it had been.  I wholeheartedly agree!  If you need a wonderful evening after a difficult week, go here for ticket's to tonight's performance of the same program.

Dvorak's New World Symphony

I spent a lovely evening at Abravanel Hall last night listening to the Utah Symphony.  I selected this particular concert for Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 because I really love it but, as is often the case, I also enjoyed the other selections on the program immensely.  The orchestra began with Haydn's Symphony No. 9 and I thought it was incredibly beautiful and stirring.  I especially loved the theme played by the solo oboe and I also loved the theme played by a solo violin and solo cello.  Next the orchestra played Symphony No. 1 by Charles Ives.  I was particularly struck by the opening notes, which were almost unobtrusive.  I found this piece to be very moving and there were several times when I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me.  After the intermission the orchestra played Dvorak's New World Symphony (as it is known).  There are a handful of pieces that I recognize by name and always try to see when performed (Mozart's Requiem, Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky,  Symphonie fantastique by Berlioz, and Bolero by Ravel, to name a few) and this is near the top of that list.  I have been looking forward to this performance for weeks and I was not disappointed.  There are many things that I love about this piece, but the themes played and then echoed between the various sections of the orchestra are so dramatic!  It was performed brilliantly with an enthusiastic standing ovation at its conclusion.  The same concert will be performed tonight (tickets may be purchased here) and I recommend it highly!

Note:  I have always been a fan of Thierry Fischer (especially after I saw him at a Jazz game with his two sons).  Last night I sat a little closer to the stage than I usually do and it was fun to watch him in action!

Soul Unlimited

Last night, in order to salvage a really blah day, I spontaneously decided to get tickets to a Utah Symphony concert.  I have season tickets to the Masterworks Series but last night's concert was part of the Entertainment Series and I'm really glad that I decided to go!  The Utah Symphony is always a good idea!  Last night the orchestra was joined by Ellis Hall in an evening billed as Soul Unlimited!  Ellis is an incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist who covers all of the great soul music from Marvin Gaye to Ray Charles to the Temptations.  The concert was as good as I imagined it would be and the assembled crowd in Abravanel Hall agreed with me.  Ellis performed the classics, such as "Get Ready," "Unchain My Heart," "Georgia," "What'd I Say," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "How Sweet It Is," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Signed Sealed Delivered," "Just My Imagination," "Soul Man," and "Higher and Higher."  These songs had me singing, clapping, tapping my toes, and, eventually, dancing in the aisle.  However, my very favorite numbers were a bit unconventional.  Ellis performed a fantastic version of "Let's Dance" by David Bowie which I really enjoyed.  Then he performed a sultry arrangement of "Something" by George Harrison that absolutely blew me away.  That is one of my favorite songs and what he did with it was incredible.  I was definitely not expecting that!  It was a wonderful evening after a really lazy day.  This concert is being performed again tonight (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it!

Beethoven & Tchaikovsky

I have been looking forward to the opening weekend of the Utah Symphony 2016-2017 season for quite a while.  It has been too long since I've seen the orchestra perform in Abravanel Hall!  Much too long!  However, it was worth the wait because the opening concert last night featured one of my favorite composers and it was a wonderful performance!  The orchestra began with Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks.  This piece was commissioned  by George II to celebrate the end of the War of the Austrian Succession and I really enjoyed it, especially the brass fanfares throughout.  It was very dignified and majestic.  Then pianist Jonathan Biss joined the orchestra for Beethoven's Concerto No. 1.  This piece reminded me a lot of Mozart (at intermission I read in the program that many of Beethoven's earliest works were influenced by Mozart) and I loved it.  Biss was absolutely incredible and I enjoyed watching his fingers literally fly across the keyboard.  Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 5, the piece I had been waiting for, came after the intermission and it certainly didn't disappoint!  I love Tchaikovsky because his music is so emotional and it is so quintessentially Russian.  The orchestra played with so much passion that they almost blew the roof off Abravanel Hall!  I loved the plaintive theme played by the woodwinds in the first movement and the horn solo in the second movement was amazing!  The final movement is incredibly stirring and, even though this piece is filled with melancholy and yearning, I think that the ending is, ultimately, triumphant.  This concert is being performed again tonight and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

Note:  This concert was our first chance to see Madeline Adkins, the new Concertmaster.  I really like the fact that both the Concertmaster and the Associate Concertmaster (Kathryn Eberle) are women.  Girl power!

Patriotic Celebration at Sundance

I began and ended the week with Utah Symphony performances!  Not too shabby!  Last night I saw them perform at the Sundance Mountain Resort and it was absolutely wonderful.  It has been so hot in the valley this past week so it felt really good to be up in the mountains with a cool breeze and the smell of the pine trees.  I just love listening to music under the stars!  The orchestra performed several well known patriotic pieces by John Philip Sousa (which was a great way to start the Independence Day celebrations), including "The Liberty Bell Waltz" and "The Stars and Stripes Forever."  They also played the "Armed Forces Salute" and had members of each branch of the armed forces, past and present, stand when their theme was played.  This year the cutest little old lady stood for the Coast Guard.  I would love to know her story!  The orchestra also played a lovely rendition of "The Blue Danube Waltz" by Johann Strauss II which caused the cute couple sitting next to me to sigh!  Just for fun they played several songs from the movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens, including "March of the Resistance" and "Scherzo for X-Wings."  I love the music from that movie.  My favorite piece of the evening was the first movement from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (which they played at the Gallivan Plaza last Monday).  I certainly enjoyed listening to it again.  Have you been to a Utah Symphony performance lately?  It is the perfect way to spend a summer evening!  Go here for more information about upcoming performances.

Beethoven, Mozart, & More at the Gallivan Plaza

I think it is a well established fact that I absolutely love attending performances outside in the summer.  There is just something about listening to music under the stars that I love and, when the Utah Symphony is involved, it is even better.  When that concert is free, it is an evening that is not to be missed!  Last night the Utah Symphony began a series of free community concerts (go here for more information) with a performance of classical favorites at the Gallivan Plaza downtown.  I loved every minute of this concert!  I brought a blanket and a picnic and, after a while, there was a lovely breeze so it was the perfect summer evening.  The orchestra played selections from Rossini, Faure, Handel, Tchaikovsky, and Gershwin which were wonderful.  After the intermission they played  the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (those first four instantly recognizable notes got the crowd going) and Mozart's Symphony No. 35, which was brilliant (I love Mozart).  There was a little girl in the audience near where I was sitting who dramatically conducted the entire concert (Associate Conductor Rei Hotada may have some competition) and it was awesome!  It was a lovely evening!

Note:  There are lots of free concerts scheduled at the Gallivan Plaza throughout the summer.  Go here for more information.

Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet

View of downtown SLC from the windows of Abravanel Hall

Last night I returned to Abravanel Hall (after what seems like a very long absence) for a Utah Symphony concert featuring excerpts from Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet and performances from actors with the Utah Shakespeare Festival.  Several years ago I attended a similar performance featuring Mendelssohn's incidental music from A Midsummer Night's Dream and excerpts from the play performed by noted Utah Shakespeare Festival actors.  It remains one of my favorite Utah Symphony concerts and I knew this production would be every bit as good so I have been looking forward to it for weeks.  I think Prokofiev's score is incredibly dramatic.  I particularly enjoyed "Montagues and Capulets" because it is so stirring yet it features an evocative theme played by the flute in the middle.  I also really liked "The Death of Tybalt" because it is another stirring piece with a bold theme played by the brass.  In between the musical numbers, corresponding scenes were performed from Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed lovers by Betsy Mugavero as Juliet, Claire Warden as Lady Capulet, Sarah Shippobotham as the Nurse, Luigi Sottile as Romeo, and Peter Lohnes as Friar Lawrence.  These scenes were directed by David Ivers, who is one of my favorite performers and directors from the Utah Shakespeare Festival.  I liked the selections, especially the famous balcony scene because Sottile's characterization of Romeo was quite playful which I thought was very interesting.  The combination of Prokofiev's music and Shakespeare's text, not to mention the outstanding performances, certainly produced an enjoyable evening of entertainment (which was definitely needed after a long week).  I hope that the Utah Symphony and the Utah Shakespeare Festival continue their collaboration for many years to come.  This concert will be performed again tonight and if you are anticipating this year's festival as much as I am, this might tide you over!  Tickets can be purchased here.

Note:  My favorite moment of the evening came courtesy of a large group of high school theatre students sitting near me.  I saw them arrive on their bus and they seemed so excited to be there.  After the concert one of them said, "That was sooooooo good!"  It makes me happy when I see young people enjoy the performing arts because it has brought so much enrichment to my life!

O.C. Tanner Gift of Music

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the O.C. Tanner Gift of Music concert in the Tabernacle on Temple Square.  It was quite the experience!  Over thirty years ago, Obert C. Tanner and Gordon B. Hinckley created and endowed this concert series as a way to share performances of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony as a gift to the community.  I have been lucky enough to attend several of these concerts (including the 30th Anniversary concert featuring James Taylor in 2013).  This year Thierry Fischer conducted the Utah Symphony, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Choristers of the Madeleine Choir School and soloists Orla Boylan, Celena Shafer, Amy Owens, Charlotte Hellekant, Tamara Mumford, Barry Banks, Markus Werba, and Jordan Bisch in a stirring rendition of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8.  Oh my goodness, it was absolutely spectacular!  I had never heard this piece before and I had goosebumps from the very first note of the magnificent organ to the final crash of the cymbals!  I absolutely loved it.  I can't even describe how beautiful this performance was, especially in such a gorgeous setting, and I am profoundly grateful for the generosity of Obert C. Tanner and his wife Grace in providing such a memorable experience for the community and for the opportunity to have world class organizations like the Utah Symphony and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir right here in Salt Lake City!  This event is free, but all available tickets for tonight's performance have been claimed.  However, stand-by seating is available and the line will begin at the flagpole by the Tabernacle.  I would plan on being there as early as possible (the concert begins at 7:00 pm).  It is well worth the effort for a chance to see this unbelievable performance!

Bravo Broadway

I am a huge fan of musical theatre (I'm going on a theatre trip to New York in a few months and I couldn't be more excited) so an evening celebrating the music of Broadway with four amazing soloists and the Utah Symphony was definitely one of the first concerts I chose when creating my season package!  Under the baton of Maestro Jerry Steichen (who I just love) the orchestra played the Overtures to Gypsy, Guys and Dolls, and An American in Paris which was just lovely.  Throughout the evening the orchestra was joined by some incredibly amazing soloists who regularly perform on Broadway, including Melissa Errico, Hugh Panaro (very easy on the eyes), Stephen Buntrock, and Morgan James, to sing some of my favorite songs from some of my favorite musicals.  The highlights included "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma, "There's Nothing Like a Dame" from South Pacific, "Something's Coming" and "Tonight" from West Side Story, "Cabaret" from Cabaret, "The Rain in Spain" from My Fair Lady, "To Life" from Fiddler on the Roof, "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha (which just about brought the roof down on Abravanel Hall), "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" from Evita, and "Defying Gravity" from Wicked.  My favorite moment was when all four soloists sang "Seasons of Love" from RENT.  I absolutely love that song (and that musical) and I may or may not have sung along with them!  They ended the program with a fun medley of songs from Mamma Mia (without the spandex jumpsuits, alas) which got Abravanel Hall rocking.  For the encore, Hugh Panaro sang an incredible rendition of "The Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera.  I still get chills when I hear those distinctive opening notes!  Finally, all four soloists came out for a fun version, complete with costumes, of "Aquarius" and "Let the Sun Shine In" from Hair.  I loved every minute of this concert and I wanted it to go on all night!  If you are a fan of musical theatre like me, I strongly suggest that you go here to get a ticket for tonight's performance if you can (there was nary a seat to be had last night).

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto

Last night's Utah Symphony concert featured guest conductor Jun Markl.  I have seen him before and I find him to be wildly entertaining because he is incredibly enthusiastic, to say the least!  I loved watching him leap around the podium!  I also really enjoyed the music!  The orchestra began with the Overture to Der Freischiitz by Carl Maria von Weber.  I must confess that I knew nothing about this piece but I enjoyed it because it was very atmospheric and moody.  Then the brilliant Stefan Jackiw joined the orchestra for Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto.  I was blown away by his dazzling performance of this piece which I found to be incredibly beautiful with moments of both sadness and joy.  All of my attention was riveted on Jackiw as his bow flew over the strings!  It was an incredible performance and the audience rewarded it with a rousing standing ovation!  I am so glad that I got to experience it.  After the intermission, the concert continued with Stravinsky's Petrushka and I really enjoyed the themes played by the solo flute, the brass, and the solo piano.  It was so dramatic!  This was followed by the "Ritual Fire Dance" from El amor brujo by Manuel de Falla and I thought it was very passionate and stirring!  While I certainly enjoyed the second half of the concert, I would highly recommend that you get a ticket (go here) to tonight's performance for a chance to hear Jackiw play so magnificently.  You absolutely do not want to miss it!

Note:  By the way, have you seen the sneak preview of the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera 2016-2017 Season?  I couldn't be more excited!  So many of my favorite Russian composers, such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Mussorgsky, are being performed plus Mozart's Requiem and Don Giovanni! Squeal!

Mozart & Mahler

There was one thing that got me through this difficult first week back at school after winter break and that was the prospect of listening to the Utah Symphony play Mozart, my favorite composer, on Friday night.  I've said this before but I credit the movie Amadeus with turning me on to classical music.  I remember distinctly the first time I watched it.  It was a Sunday night when I was in junior high and I was sitting on the floor in my parents' bedroom leaning against the foot of their bed watching it on HBO.  It was getting late and I'm sure that they wanted to go to sleep but they could see that I was absolutely transfixed and let me continue watching!  Several years later I was given a VHS copy for Christmas, the first movie I ever owned!  (When I moved to my new house I donated all of my VHS tapes and, later, I regretted that I gave away Amadeus.  I received a Blu-Ray copy for Christmas this year!)  Needless to say, I fell in love with Mozart's music after watching Amadeus over and over so I try to attend any concert featuring it.  Friday night the orchestra, along with soloist Augustin Hadelich, played Concerto No. 4 for Violin and Orchestra.  This piece totally exemplifies what I love about Mozart:  it is light, airy, romantic, and beautiful (not to be confused with simple).  Hadelich was absolutely brilliant (receiving a thunderous standing ovation) and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance!  But Mahler, though!  After the intermission the orchestra played Symphony No. 7 and I read in the program notes that this is considered the least popular of Mahler's symphonies.  It could very well be my favorite!  More than any other symphony that I've heard during the Mahler Cycle this year and last, this piece has made me a Mahler fan for life!  The first movement is rousing and exuberant with an incredible theme played by the brass, not to mention the horns, the harps (there were two), the timpani, and the crash cymbals!  There were moments when I couldn't catch my breath and, mind you, this was only the first movement!  It only got better!  The second movement features a playful theme by the woodwinds and the third movement is so vigorous that Maestro Thierry Fischer lost his baton (in what might possibly my favorite moment, ever, at a Utah Symphony concert!)  The fourth movement is beautiful and atmospheric with lovely violin and horn solos echoed by a guitar and mandolin!  It gave me goosebumps!  The fifth and final movement begins, spectacularly, with timpani and ends the only way it possibly could:  with the ringing of the chimes! I loved it!  It goes without saying that it was an exceptional evening and you should go here right now and get yourself a ticket for tonight's performance!

New Year's Celebration

If you are a music lover, the best place to be on New Year's Eve is Vienna attending one of the many concerts featuring the classic Viennese waltzes made famous by Johann Strauss and his family.  If you can't afford the airfare to Vienna, the next best place to be is Abravanel Hall to hear the Utah Symphony's version.  Last year Marilyn and I took my Mom to the New Year's concert and she loved it so much I decided to get her a ticket for this year's concert which was performed last night.  It was as much fun watching my Mom's reaction to each piece as it was listening to the music!  The concert began, appropriately, with the Overture to Die Fledermaus (about a ball on New Year's Eve in Vienna) by Johann Strauss, Jr.  This piece was very rousing and I especially enjoyed the chiming of midnight (I love the chimes).  Next, Utah favorite Celena Shafer sang "Mein Herr Marquis" from Die Fledermaus.  Shafer also gave a highly amusing rendition of "Meine Lippen sie kussen so heiss" from Giuditta by Lehar later in the evening.  Most of the concert featured incredibly stirring waltzes from Johann Strauss, Jr. and Josef Strauss, including the instantly recognizable On the Beautiful Blue Danube.  My favorite piece of the evening was "New Year's Eve Ball" from War and Peace by Sergei Prokofiev.  I kept picturing women in ball gowns twirling and twirling in a grand ball room of an opulent palace in St. Petersburg.  The concert ended with an encore of the ever popular Radetzky March by Johann Strauss, Sr. complete with enthusiastic clapping from the audience.  It was a lovely evening made even more so by the giggling of my Mom after every single number!  Happy New Year!

Bugs Bunny at the Symphony

Did you wake up early on Saturday mornings to watch the great Warner Bros. cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner when you were a kid?  If so, you have probably heard the works of Wagner, Rossini, Strauss, Smetana, and Liszt without even realizing it because many of those cartoons feature classical music!  I loved Bugs Bunny and, to this day, I can't hear Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries without thinking "Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit" in my head!  Last night's concert at Abravanel Hall was so much fun because all of those fabulous Warner Bros. cartoons were projected on a giant screen above the stage while the Utah Symphony played the accompanying music live.  My favorites were "Rhapsody Rabbit" which featured "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" by Franz Liszt and "What's Opera, Doc?" featuring the aforementioned Die Walkure by Richard Wagner.  The program also featured two new Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons commissioned specifically for this program called "Rabid Rider" and "Coyote Falls" with music by Christopher Lennertz.  These were very different from the classic cartoons and conductor George Daugherty mentioned that a total of ten people worked on the former while hundreds animated the latter!  I think I prefer the classic cartoons!  The orchestra even played the Merrie Melodies "That's All, Folks" credit at the end!  This concert brought back great childhood memories of Saturday mornings and I absolutely loved it!

Note:  There were lots of children in attendance at the concert and I hope this exposure to classical music makes them fans for life!

Ode to Joy

Last night Abravanel Hall was definitely filled with a joyful noise as the Utah Symphony performed Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and you should really stop reading right now and get yourself a ticket to tonight's concert!  The evening began with Control, a piece by Nico Muhly commissioned by the Utah Symphony to commemorate its 75th Anniversary.  The composer was in attendance and he explained to the audience that the piece represented various landmarks in Utah and how people interacted with them.  I absolutely loved it because it was very dramatic and included quite a bit of percussion.  At one point the first part featured a xylophone, a marimba, and a vibraphone in unison.  I also really loved the theme played by the brass in syncopation with a bass drum in part four.  As the orchestra played, there was also a video presentation of the Utah landmarks which inspired Control designed by Joshua Higgason.  I thought it was stunning.  I really appreciate that the Utah Symphony is such a dynamic organization able to program new and innovative pieces along with the cannon.  After the intermission the orchestra performed what is widely regarded as the greatest symphony ever written!  When I created my season package last summer, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 was at the top of my list (along with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2) and I've been looking forward to it ever since.  The orchestra was joined by the Utah Symphony Chorus, the University of Utah Chamber Choir, and the University of Utah A Capella Choir (they looked very dramatic on stage) along with soloists Celena Shaffer (a Utah favorite), Sarah Coit, Eric Barry, and Michael Dean.  The first movement is stirring and dramatic, the second is lively and exuberant, and the third is romantic and atmospheric.  However, nothing can compare to the magnificent fourth movement featuring the chorus and soloists singing the lyrics from the poem Ode to Joy by Friedrich Schiller to the accompaniment of the instantly recognizable main theme played by the orchestra.  I think the lyrics, about the universal brotherhood of man, are particularly salient for these troubled times and listening to the chorus sing them gave me goosebumps.  If you are still reading this, I highly recommend that you go here to get tickets to hear this incredible piece!

Note:  The orchestra paid tribute to Joseph Silverstein, conductor of the Utah Symphony for over 15 years, by playing "Nimrod" from Elgar's Enigma Variations.  It was so beautiful!  I remember him fondly because he conducted the first Utah Symphony concert I attended.

Hallelujah!

On Saturday night Marilyn and I continued the tradition we started last year by going to the Messiah Sing-In at Abravanel Hall.  This performance featured the Utah Symphony, the Utah Symphony Chorus, and some amazing soloists including Jessica Jones, Sarah Coit, Christian Sanders, and Markel Reed.  The audience is invited to sing along during the choruses and you can even purchase a copy of the score for $9.00.  Last year Marilyn and I had no idea about this tradition and we were basically just spectators.  This year we were prepared (we bought our copies before the performance) and I will tell you that it is a lot more fun to be a part of the action.  It actually brought back many wonderful memories of singing in the choir when I was in college.  Handel's Messiah is such a beautiful and stirring piece of music and it is so appropriate for the upcoming Christmas holiday.  It definitely gave me a big injection of Christmas spirit!  All of the soloists were amazing but I absolutely loved Markel Reed's rendition of  "The trumpet shall sound" and so did the crowd because he got thunderous applause!  Of course I also loved the "Hallelujah" chorus because it sounded so incredible with the acoustics in Abravanel Hall.  It was a lovely evening and I hope it will be a tradition for many years to come.

Note:  I may have been a bit boisterous with my hallelujahs because Marilyn gave me a look!

Mahler's "Tragic" Symphony

Last night the Utah Symphony performed an epic concert at Abravanel Hall (stop reading right now and go here for tickets to tonight's performance).  The evening began with Symphony No. 6 "Morning" by Joseph Haydn and it was absolutely beautiful.  I always like pieces which feature the woodwind section (I played the clarinet in school) and I loved the themes played by the solo flute and oboe in the first movement and repeated in the fourth.  The theme played by a solo bassoon and a solo double bass in the third movement was also quite lovely as was a theme played by a solo horn accompanied by the harp.  I really enjoyed hearing so many different instruments featured.  All of the musicians of the Utah Symphony are so talented!  After the intermission, the orchestra played the spectacular Symphony No. 6 "Tragic" by Gustav Mahler (The Utah Symphony is performing the entire Mahler symphony cycle to commemorate its 75th Anniversary this year).  With the nickname "Tragic," I thought this piece would be moody, atmospheric, and mournful.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  It is bold, lively, and energetic with rousing themes played by the brass and timpani, almost as if Mahler is raging against the fickle hand of fate.  The first movement conjured up images of battle while the second movement denoted a beautiful and romantic interlude until the hammer of fate (literally) falls on the protagonist in the finale.  The percussion section featured a giant wooden box which was struck twice by an equally giant mallet (I read that each strike represents a tragedy in Mahler's life and that a third strike is sometimes included which represents his struggle with certain music institutions).  It was incredibly dramatic, to say the least!  I loved it but I was exhausted after listening to such an emotional piece and I can't imagine how the musicians felt at the end!  Again, it was an epic evening of music and you certainly don't want to miss it!

Bolero

When I was young, my Dad had a recording of various pieces of classical music programmed on the Moog synthesizer.  I enjoyed the entire recording but my favorite piece was Bolero by Maurice Ravel.  I absolutely loved it and I listened to it over and over again.  My favorite part was at the end when the synthesizer simulated applause.  I had no idea that I was listening to classical music; I just thought it was the coolest thing ever!  Now I know better so I always try to hear Bolero performed live whenever I get the chance and I had the chance to hear the Utah Symphony perform it last night.  The concert featured several works by Maurice Ravel including La Valse, which was lovely (especially the harps), Une barque sur l'ocean, which was very dynamic, and an incredible staging of the opera The Child and the Enchantments (featuring many wonderful soloists from the Utah Opera and the Choristers of The Madeleine Choir School).  I really enjoyed these pieces but, for me, the main event was Bolero.  I literally had goosebumps when I heard bits of the distinctive theme played while the orchestra was warming up before the concert!  It begins almost imperceptibly with a snare drum (playing the same rhythm throughout the entire piece) and then a melody is played by a solo flute.  This melody is repeated over and over by the various instruments in the orchestra (my favorite is the solo trombone), building in intensity and volume for 17 minutes until a dramatic crescendo at the end.  It is simply amazing and I am not exaggerating when I say that I could barely contain myself during the performance (I apologize to anyone sitting near me!).  If you have never heard Bolero performed live, do yourself a favor and go here for tickets to tonight's performance!  I am seriously thinking of going so I can hear it again!

Note:  I went to this concert specifically to hear Bolero but I would also recommend it for the incredible performance of The Child of the Enchantments (I absolutely loved Derrick Parker as the Tree), a piece I was entirely unfamiliar with.  One of the things I love most about the Utah Symphony is that I am always introduced to new pieces and composers that become favorites!