By David Amos
SAN DIEGO — The Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra will present one of its most eclectic programs ever on April 14 and 16.
The traditional part of the concert is represented by two post-Romantic composers that are household names and their music reign as concert favorites. The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote tone poems, symphonies, concertos, and many other works; arguably, his most famous creation was Finlandia, an emotional homage to his home country. One of his most popular pieces, which will open this concert will be his Karelia Suite, in three movements. Its recognizable tunes have been used in many films, and its rich melodies typify the best in Romantic Music.
Our guest soloist will be pianist Yukiko Sekino, playing the ever-popular Second Piano Concerto in C Minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff. This composer was one of history’s greatest pianists, but he always yearned to be recognized as a significant composer also. His First Piano Concerto, although being a fine work, received only a lukewarm reception from critics and the public. After extensive psychiatric analysis, he composed the Second Concerto, which, voila!, turned out to be one of the most beloved piano concertos ever composed. Al least one of its themes became a popular song (“Full Moon and Empty Arms”), and who can forget the film The Seven Year Itch, with Tom Ewell and Marilyn Monroe. Its sweeping melodies and demanding piano part make this work an unforgettable experience, waiting to be enjoyed again and again.
Ms. Sekino was the Gold Medalist of the 2006 International Russian Piano Music Competition. She is a pianist of versatility and wide-ranging interests. Her playing has been praised as “thrilling, inspirational” by the Florida Sun-Sentinel, and noted for “elegance of line, leaping energy” by the San Jose Mercury News. Since making her debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the age of sixteen, she has been the featured soloist with many orchestras throughout the United States.
She is an avid chamber musician, and was the resident pianist of the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas from 2005 to 2008. Yukiko is a graduate of Harvard University and the Juilliard School, and currently she is the Keyboard Area Head at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and in the faculty of the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Her concerts with TICO are being sponsored by Mu Phi Epsilon.
And if what I described above is the “traditional” part of the program, what about the rest of the concert? In many ways it is even more traditional. It is a composition for “presentor (narrator) and orchestra” by the Israeli composer Baruch Berliner. Titled Genesis, it is a narration with full orchestra of seven parts of the first book of the Bible, starting with In the Beginning.. The composer has requested that the narration be in Hebrew, in order to match the music to the poetry and rhythm of the original language, something that he achieved with great success. The music is very melodic, and I was pleased to note many Hebraic references within the composition, which gave it a sense of comfort and familiarity.
The program notes will have the English translation. The Hebrew speaker will be Simon Ordever, who has diligently practiced with TICO in the preparation of these concerts.
The concerts will be attended by Mr. Berliner and his wife Ruhama, and his teacher and friend Nachum Sluzker. Also attending will be Mr. Sigmund Rolat, from New York, to whom this performance is dedicated.
Both concerts will be at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd, San Diego, 92119, on Sunday, April 14, 3:00 p.m., and Tuesday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.. For more information, individual or group tickets, directions, or as season brochure, call (619) 697 6001, or you can buy tickets online at www.tiferethisrael.com/TICO.
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Another worthy musical program coming up this week, on Friday, April 5th at 7:00 p.m., will be a concert of the YPO Soloist Ensemble (formerly the Philharmonic String Orchestra and Soloist Ensemble), conducted by Alyze Dreiling. This varied and colorful program featuring many of the orchestra’s talented members as soloists, will present music by Villa-Lobos, Salieri, Hailstork, Massenet. J.C. Bach, Faure, Puccini, Donizetti, and Mendelssohn.
Featured as guest soloist will be soprano Alize Rozsnyai in several of the evening’s selections. She is the daughter of Zoltan Rozsnyai, former San Diego Symphony conductor, and is currently attending the Curtis Institute of Music. She has appeared on numerous occasions with the Curtis Opera Theater, she sang at the Aspen Music Festival, Chautauqua Opera Company, and last summer at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, to name a few.
The concert will be held at the Rancho Bernardo Presbyterian Church, 17010 Pomerado Road, San Diego, 92128. Tickets online: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5327520758.
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Amos is conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra and has guest conducted professional orchestras around the world. He may be contacted at david.amos@sdjewishworld.com