Festival Orchestra concludes season

Musicians dressed neatly in black sat on stage at the Musical Arts Center on Friday evening while tuning their instruments. The sound mixed with the hum of audience members’ conversation as they took their seats, anticipating the performance..

The lights dropped and the auditorium fell silent. The conductor walked on stage to applause, and the final Festival Orchestra concert of the summer began.

The IU Jacobs School of Music presented the Festival Orchestra at the MAC, led by conductor Carlos Kalmar and guest violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley. The orchestra’s musicians also included faculty members and students at the Jacobs School, according to a press release. The musical events are part of the Summer Festival of the Arts at IU.

The orchestra performed Rossini’s “Overture to La gazza ladra,” Dvorák’s “The Golden Spinning Wheel, Op. 109” and Brahms’ “Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73.”

“I think the Dvorák piece ‘The Golden Spinning Wheel’ is very interesting, and I was quite surprised by it because I didn’t know of it before this concert,” said Zach Kingins, a second-year doctorate student who plays the trumpet. “And whenever you get to play Brahms, it’s a treat.”

Liza Saracina, a junior pursuing a bachelor’s degree of music in oboe performance, thinks Brahms’ Symphony is a staple piece for orchestra performances and one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.

“(Brahms’ symphony) is a great piece for us to play because we need to know this piece for our professional careers,” Saracina said. “Both of the other pieces, the Dvorák and Rossini, are contrasting to Brahms, which makes it a very well-rounded show.”

The three orchestra concerts throughout the summer had a professional or faculty member playing in the principal seats of each of the different instrumental sections rather than students, and professional conductors led the orchestra.

Saracina said the professors and professionals heading each section helped students throughout the rehearsal process and provided them with valuable skills.

“It is a huge benefit to the students because they get to take a glimpse into the professional world of music making,” Saracina said.

Students usually take weeks to prepare for orchestra concerts, but for this event, they learned the music four days before the concert.

“We have a week of daily, fast-paced and intense rehearsals for each IU Festival Orchestra concert, the same way professional orchestras prepare for their concerts,” said Hyewon Kim, a second-year doctorate student in violin performance.

Kim, who has been playing the violin for 16 years, chose to play in the orchestras. Many Jacobs School students participate in music festivals around the world during the summer.

“The IU Festival Orchestra is one of the great options IU students are privileged to have,” Kim said.

Although the orchestra series has ended with this final performance,, the Jacobs School will present more events throughout the month of July, including the Symphony Orchestra’s final concert of the summer under Cliff Colnot. The concert is at 8 p.m. July 20 in the MAC.