Windy Borman
for the Emerald
“Love” is in the air tonight at
the Hult Center for the Per
forming Arts, when the Eu
gene Symphony takes the
Silva Concert Hall stage. The
show, titled “Love,” invites
you to sit back, relax and “let
your spirit soar” to the
sounds of classical love
songs.
The loving theme not
only feels appropriate be
cause the concerto occurs
amidst the month of love but
also because the emotion is
one of the most powerful we
feel.
At one tune or another love
affects everyone, but it can be
expressed or felt quite differ
ently. Love can be light and
happy or passionate and tur
bulent. It can be shared be
tween family, friends and
lovers.
Despite love’s universality, it
remains one of the least under
stood and most confusing hu
man emotions. Philosophers,
poets, playwrights and com
posers have all attempted to artic
ulate the meaning of love.
Through works by composers
Strauss, Mendelssohn and
Prokofiev, the Eugene Symphony
hopes to explore, express and ed
ucate us on love. The pieces con
ductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya se
lected for tonight’s presentation
explore the different aspects of
love.
The concerto begins with
Strauss’ “Voices of Spring,” an el
egant waltz “that swirls with vi
sions of Vienna, the city of love.”
Next, Mendolssohn’s “Violin
Concerto in E minor” is a
“virtuosic delight” that
sparkles and the audience.
Finally, Prokofiev’s haunt
ing beauty, “Romeo & Juliet,”
captures the “drama, suffering,
pain, sadness and, at the same
time, the bittersweet feeling c
death and departure of a lovei
one,” according to the press re
lease.
In an effort to reach out and ed
ucate the community, the Eugen
Symphony invited local student
to a preview performance c
“Love” on Feb. 16.
Harth-Bedoya said the mail
idea behind the event was for th
symphony to develop a relation
ship with students so that “whei
they become adults they will stil
have a good memory of whei
they came to see us.”
One way the symphony em
phasized that point was to leav
the tuxedos in the closet and pei
form in Eugene Symphony 1
shirts. To further help bridge th
gap between the complex them
and music, the symphony sough
active participation from stu
dents.
The concerto incorporated fou
students from Thurston am
f South Eugene high schools into
1 the preview by having them read
excerpts from William Shake
speare’s “Romeo & Juliet” before
each Prokofiev movement. The
3 narrations seemed to create a
s friendly, informal environment
f for the students and draw them
into the music.
l Brian Lewis, the solo violinist
3 who will perform one movement
in Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concer
l to” during tonight’s show, knows
1 first-hand that early exposure to
i classical music can make a lasting
impression on a student.
“I began playing the violin
3 when I was four years old, ” Lewis
said. “Almost everyone in my
- family plays the violin — my
3 mom and sister play, as did my
3 grandmother and great grand
t mother.
“When I went to kindergarten,
I was shocked to learn that not
r everyone played the violin! ”
1 Lewis’s incredible talent, lay
ered with his early training,
helped him achieve great things
at a young age. He gave his first
solo recital when he was five
years old and he performed in
Carnegie Hall at age nine.
The symphony also serves as a
friendly reunion for Harth
Bedoya and Lewis. They both
graduated from the Julliard
School of Music and shared the
William Schuman Prize for their
outstanding leadership and ac
complishment in music.
Their paths have crossed once
prior to “Love,” in Lima, Peru,
four years ago, when Lewis per
formed another solo under Harth
Bedoya’s direction.
Catch this inspirational cele
bration of “Love” tonight at 8 p.m.
at the Hult Center. Tickets for the
performance are $10 for students
and vary between $12 and $36 for
adults and seniors.
For tickets and information call
682-5000.
,he’ll gwt 1(0“ 1 waI
All photos by Kevin Calame Emerald
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