TICO completes season, Hungarian-inspired music to start next

By Eileen Wingard

Eileen Wingard
Eileen Wingard

SAN DIEGO — Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra (TICO) culminated its 2013-14 season with a rousing All American Pops Spectacular. As the audience departed, following the sprightly rendition of “Stars and Stripes Forever,” they were smiling and uplifted.

The musical feast of Americana included marches by Sousa, arrangements of folksongs, “Arkansas Traveler” and “Turkey in the Straw,” jazz favorites by Gershwin, Hollywood movie themes from the Titanic, Braveheart, An American Tale and , Apollo 11, an American Fantasie by Victor Herbert with patriotic favorites such as “Hail Columbia” and “Dixie” and an overture based on the “Stars Spangled Banner.” “An American Salute” by Morton Gould and “Hoedown” by Aaron Copland completed the program.

The concert had two conductors, the founder and music director of TICO, David Amos, and Joel Jacklich, a member of TICO’s viola section and the founder and director of the Imperial Valley Symphony. The orchestra responded well to both men and the lighter repertoire proved to be a good match for musicians and audience at the height of summer.

Three generations of Amos’s family were in attendance, from his nine-year-old granddaughter who lives in Seattle to his cousin from Jerusalem. They were all enthusiastically waving flags in time to the music of the “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

Judy Gumbiner, a member of Congregation Tifereth Israel, who is a strong supporter of the orchestra, commented, “That music inspires me to feel more patriotic and proud to be an American.”

After a brief hiatus, TICO has resumed rehearsals in preparation for an exciting 2013-14 season. The first concerts, Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 p.m. and Tuesday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m. are entitled, The Glory of Hungarian Music, and will feature pianist Natsuki Fukasawa playing Dohnanyi’s “Variations on a Nursery Rhyme.” Other works programmed are Brahms’ “Hungarian Dances #5 and #6,” Berlioz’ “Rocokszy’s March,” Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3” and Bartok’s “Hungarian Sketches.”

Other concerts of TICO’s forthcoming season will include Susana Poretsky, a world renowned mezzo soprano, who sings with the Metropolitan opera and composer-pianist, David Feurzeig, performing the world premier of his own work. All concerts will take  place in Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Cohen Social Hall. For information and tickets, call 619-697-6001.

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Wingard is a freelance writer and former violinist with the San Diego Symphony.  She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com