By Eileen Wingard
LA JOLLA, California–The Jewish Community Symphony, formerly the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra (TICO), now rebranded in its new home at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, opened its 52nd season November 30, with a well-rehearsed performance of Beethoven’s Egmont Overture.
As David Amos, its founder and conductor, noted in his opening remarks, Beethoven uses pauses for dramatic effect. Although those pauses can be pitfalls if every eye is not on the conductor, the attacks and cut-offs were precise, the intonation good, giving the work exciting definition.
Next followed Brahms’ six movement Serenade #1, opus 11. This is an early work of the composer and was written originally as a nonet and later expanded for full orchestra. It features four horns, two trumpets and pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons and the string sections.
Assistant conductor, Robert Zelickman, led the symphony. His crisp baton signals and forward moving conducting propelled the contrasting movements into beautiful musical gems, an opening Allegro, two Scherzos, an Adagio, Minuets and a final Rondo. This serenade is a more subdued and lyrical version of the symphonies yet to come from the pen of the great composer. The audience showed its sophistication by not applauding between movements.
After intermission, David Amos again mounted the podium to conduct the accompaniment for the young violin soloist, Christian Gonzales, in a brilliant performance of Niccolo Paganini’s Concerto #1 in D major. The first movement, replete with pyrotechnics, rapid runs, harmonics and double stops, was expertly executed by the 25 year old virtuoso. He also played the interspersed Italianate melodies with a sweet sound.
The audience was so impressed after the first movement that they not only clapped loudly but gave him a standing ovation.
Finally, he was able to begin playing the more subdued Adagio, which he performed with great warmth. That connected to the Rondo, which once again displayed his remarkable technical command.
A second standing ovation resulted in an encore, the slow movement from Bach’s Sonata #3. With Gonzales’ encore, the audience heard examples from the three composers regarded as the greatest of classical music, often referred to as the Three B’s: Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.
If this concert is any indication, the future of the Jewish Community Symphony in its new home augurs well, given the high standard of performance from the volunteer group and the large, enthusiastic audience that attended the concert.
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Eileen Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.