Brokers and Brokerage

Symphony Orchestra to tour the West, homecoming concert finale

Date 3/15/2001 12:00 AM | Topic: Arts & Culture

On Friday, March 16, the Luther College Symphony Orchestra will begin a spring break tour of the West. Traveling as far west as Billings, Mont., and south to Boulder, Colo., the group will be visiting eight states in ten days.

A concert is given each night at a host church or concert venue, and the members of orchestra stay with host families at their homes each evening. The days are spent on two charter buses traveling to each concert location, sometimes driving up to nine hours at a time.

The orchestra will give a 90-minute concert at each location throughout the tour. Works featured on the 2001 tour are Richard Wagner's "Der Meistersinger von Nurnberg," Edvard Grieg's "Peer Gynt Suite," and Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade," with Concertmaster Joe Dever ('01) as the featured soloist. The orchestra has been rehearsing this music since January in order to have it ready for tour.

This program has a vast selection for anyone interested in instrumental music. Featuring works from German, Norweigian, and Russian composers, there is something for everyone. The complementing sounds of the 50-member string orchestra and 25-member wind, brass and percussion ensemble brings a diverse musical experience to the stage.

"This is very melodic and romantic music. It's straight from the heart," Dever said. This will be Dever's fourth tour with the orchestra and his second year as Concertmaster. He said that he couldn't think of anything better than to spend his spring break touring with the orchestra. "Being with the people, participating in the traditions, giving a concert every night, I wouldn't want to spend it any other way."

Even for the first-time listener of symphony orchestra music, the selected pieces will be familiar to the ear. Many of the melodies in the featured repertoire have appeared in commercials and on the radio, and these performances will be a chance for people to hear them in their natural setting.

When asked about Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Gwen Rudy ('04) said: "It's a very interesting piece. You won't get bored with it. There is a rich orchestral sound to the piece, especially with the harp and brass. It really adds to it."

The orchestra will return to campus on Sunday, March 25, after their final tour stop in Waterloo, Iowa. The following week the orchestra will be giving a Homecoming Concert on Tuesday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the CFL.

--

Angela Aaberg
Chips Staff Writer

[ Comment, Edit or Article Submission ]