WMU Symphony: student musicians open new season

By Kaelyn Christian
Western Herald

The Western Michigan University Symphony Orchestra will open its season with a concert featuring solo violinist Keir GoGwilt at Miller Auditorium on Sunday at 3 p.m.

“GoGwilt was actually a finalist in the Stulberg International String competition that was held over the summer,” said David Schultz, a senior music major at WMU, and member of the University Symphony Orchestra.

The Stulberg competition is held annually for gifted string musicians under the age of 20, and was founded in honor of former Western Michigan University violin professor and University Symphony Conductor Julius Stulberg.

The concert will feature several diverse pieces by conductors such as Richard Wagner, John Adams, Jacques Ibert, and Maurice Ravel.
Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” is probably the most well known piece that will be featured.

“You’ve probably heard it in, like, Ritz Bits commercials and movies,” Schultz said.

Wagner’s “Valkyries” may be the most recognizable, but each piece brings something to the table. “My favorite is Ravel’s ‘Bolero,’ I just really like how it’s written,” Schultz said.

“It’s unique because it keeps the same themes throughout the orchestra, but it’s dressed differently each time, and it keeps getting louder and louder. Really the whole piece is an orchestrated crescendo.”

Possibly the most interesting piece will be GoGwilt playing Berg’s “Violin Concerto.”

“It’s the most out-there piece that we’re playing,” Shultz said. “It’s not always beautiful, per se, or pleasing to the ear. The real artistry comes from how it is performed — the overall effect.”

The University Symphony Orchestra is a class open to any WMU student who wants to audition, but it is comprised primarily of music majors, and playing with a guest soloist is something that most who play with the University Symphony will encounter.

“Playing with a soloist is an experience that they try to fit into the class because it’s something most musicians will encounter in the professional world,” Schultz said.

“My favorite part of playing with the University Symphony Orchestra is playing with the brass and wind section. We have such a great brass section this semester, and playing in an ensemble is so much more rewarding when everyone is playing well,” Schultz said.
Each member of the University Symphony Orchestra gets something different out of their involvement.

“Professor Uchimura, known as ‘Uch’ to his students, chooses literature that many of the students will eventually be playing in auditions for professional orchestras, thus increasing the educational quality of the ensemble,” said Jack Bertrand, a junior majoring in music education.
“Uch has an amazing sense of humor. He never fails to be able to make us all laugh when we all need to loosen up during a tense rehearsal,” he said.

As wonderful as the experience is for members of the University Symphony, Schultz believes audience members will get a lot from the concert as well.

“I don’t play on ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ so in rehearsal the other day I was just sitting and listening to it,” Shultz said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited. I was ready to jump up and down, it’s so driven.”
Shultz hopes the enthusiasm of the musicians will translate to the audience.

A preview of the concert will air Thursday at 10 a.m. on WMUK 102.1 with Professor Uchimura and Keir GoGwilt.

“It’s going to be really, really nice,” Schultz said. “I just hope Kanye West doesn’t show up.”

More information can be found at www.wmich.edu/music/orchestra.

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Posted by heraldstaff on Sep 30 2009. Filed under Weekend Scene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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