Young Artist Competition Winners to Perform at Converse Oct. 11
The Converse Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Siegwart Reichwald, will present the Young Artist Competition 2010 Winners on Monday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m. in Twichell Auditorium on the Converse College campus. This opening concert will feature soprano Joyce Jin, soprano Alexandra Filipe and clarinetist Sarah Horback. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information call the Petrie School of Music at 864.596.9021.
According to Reichwald, “the Young Artist Competition is an annual event for all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in applied lessons at Converse.” A jury of music faculty from colleges around the area selects the winners. When asked about preparing the orchestra, Reichwald said, “Conducting a concerto or aria is very different from interpreting a purely orchestral work. Preparing and performing an orchestral work is straight forward, since the conductor guides the orchestra to his/her interpretation of any given work. In case of a solo performance with orchestra — especially with a student soloist — there are really three perspectives of the work that need to be worked out: the student soloist, her teacher and the conductor. While there is extra work involved for everybody to mesh together, it can be very exciting and exhilarating to have three personalities contributing to the performance.”
Soprano Joyce Jin will perform “Eccomi . . . Oh quante volte on quante” from Romeo and Juliet by Bellini. This difficult romanza is one of Bellini’s most famous arias. Jin says “this aria has taken me about a year to understand the depth of her emotions.”
Alexandra Filipe will perform “Je dis que rien ne m’epouvarante” from Bizet’s Carmen. Filipe said “this aria is a statement of courage by Michaela. I most certainly identify myself with this aria because I constantly push myself to fight my own fears and overcome all the obstacles in life, being that some of them are created by my own head. But as it is said, you are only brave when you are afraid.”
Sarah Horback will perform “Introduction, Theme and Variations” by Rossini. The introduction is very operatic, based on the aria “La Pace Mia Smarrita” from Mose in Egitto; the theme is from La Donna Del Lago. This is Horback’s orchestral debut.
Also on the evening’s program is Symphony No. 4, Op. 20 in B-flat major by Niels Gade and “Wenn Bach Bienen gezüchtet hätte” (If Bach would have tended bees) by Arvo Pärt.