Corvallis-OSU Symphony livestream set for Nov. 22

November 09, 2020 in Orchestra

For Immediate Release: November 9, 2020

Corvallis-OSU Symphony livestream set for Nov. 22

By Zachary C. Person

Source: Marlan Carlson

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony string ensemble under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs a concert livestreamed from The LaSells Stewart Center at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 22.

The performance is free and open to the public and can be viewed online at: mu.oregonstate.edu/live.

Selected movements from Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 open the program. Written in 1875 in only two weeks-time, the five-movement string serenade was composed on a smaller scale than Dvořák’s weightier and well known symphonies and remains one of his most popular works.

The program continues with excerpts from Edvard Grieg’s “Holberg Suite, Op, 40,” a work originally written for piano in 1884 and later adapted by the composer for string orchestra. The five movement work, written in the style of a Baroque-era dance suite, was composed on the occasion of the 200th birthday of the distinguished Norwegian writer Ludvig Holberg. Grieg originally penned the work for solo piano, adapting it a year later into the string orchestra version that the Corvallis-OSU Symphony string ensemble performs.

W.A. Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in c minor, KV. 546 and the opening movement of the Serenade for Strings Op. 13, KV. 525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” close the program. Long one of Mozart’s popular compositions, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” is a lighthearted little “bon-bon” of a work, charming audiences and performers alike since its premiere in 1787.

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About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts includes the fine and performing arts, humanities and social sciences, making it one of the largest and most diverse colleges at OSU. The college’s research and instructional faculty members contribute to the education of all university students and provide national and international leadership, creativity and scholarship in their academic disciplines.

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Shostakovich’s tenth symphony Nov. 24

November 05, 2019 in Orchestra

For Immediate Release: November 5, 2019

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Shostakovich’s tenth symphony Nov. 24

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs works by Antonín Dvořák, Zoltán Kodály and Dmitri Shostakovich at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 24 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

Antonín Dvořák’s “Carnival Overture” Op. 92 opens the program. The rousing nine-minute work from 1891 forms the second in Dvořák’s trilogy of concert overtures inspired by the composer’s impressions of life, love and nature which embody the human experience.

Zoltán Kodály’s "Dance of Galanta," a four-part whirlwind of folk melodies and gypsy tunes, follows. Like his contemporary Béla Bartók, Kodály spent his lifetime collecting folk music melodies in the remote areas of Hungary, Transylvania and other areas of Eastern Europe. "This passion for the unblemished and authentic musical expressions of mostly illiterate people with no formal musical education eventually manifested itself in many of their compositions," says Maestro Carlson. "And like the food of this area, the music of these composers is both exhilarating and sensorially intoxicating."

The Tenth Symphony in E minor, Op. 93 by Dmitri Shostakovich closes the program. Shostakovich began composing the four-movement symphony shortly after the death of Josef Stalin in 1953, and the symphony forms a musical portrait of both Stalin as a person and Shostakovich’s experience of living under the Stalinist regime.

The symphony was premiered in 1953 by the Leningrad Philharmonic under the direction of Yevgeny Mravinsky to huge success, though the overall pessimistic tone of the work quickly attracted public scrutiny from the Soviet Composer’s Union as being an "optimistic tragedy” and “non-realistic.” Despite the criticism, Shostakovich, who was well accustomed to politically motivated ridicule of his works - and very adept at publicly apologizing for their content - did not offer to rewrite the symphony. His Op. 93 stands today as a mid-century masterwork and an astute if somewhat less than overt political statement summing up in a mere 53 minutes Shostakovich’s experiences during decades of Stalinism.

Tickets are $22 to $32 in advance or $25 to $35 at the door. Tickets are available online at www.cosusymphony.org. Up to three K-8 students accompanied by a ticketed adult, and all high school and college students with ID, may be given free general admission tickets at the door starting one hour prior to the concert, subject to availability.

Corvallis Arts for All discounts apply with a valid SNAP card and are available one hour prior to performance. For accommodations relating to a disability please call 541-286-5580, preferably one week in advance.

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On-campus TV and radio studios: Oregon State University is equipped with on-campus television and radio studios that can be used by journalists. Live or live-to-tape broadcast television studio interviews can be conducted using Vyvx. Oregon State staff can also gather b-roll and coordinate live-to-tape interviews on locations throughout campus. For radio, Oregon State’s ISDN phone line provides a broadcast-quality audio feed.

OSU Wind Ensemble performs Holst, Sousa and more May 23

May 01, 2019 in Wind Bands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2019

OSU Wind Ensemble performs Holst, Sousa and more May 23

By Zachary C. Person, 541-737-4671, zachary.person@oregonstate.edu

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State University Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Chris Chapman presents its final concert of the 2018-2019 season at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23 at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26thStreet, Corvallis.

Chapman conducts Gustav Holst’s “Fugal Overture” and “Chants” by Oregon-based composer Martin Benhke to open the program. Guest conductor Olin Hannum then joins the stage to lead Percy Grainger’s “Irish Tune from County Derry,” a setting of the tune made famous via the folk song “Danny Boy.”

Anthony Barfield’s “Red Sky” featuring solo trombonist Carson Keeble closes the first half. “Red Sky” is a sonic depiction of the big bang theory, focusing on concepts of space, matter and energy. Keeble is instructor of trombone at OSU and is a former member of the Colorado Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic and New Mexico Symphony. He frequently performs with the Seattle Symphony, Oregon Symphony and Santa Fe Opera, and has performed with the Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic and many others.

John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” opens the second half. The rousingly patriotic march was designated the official National March of America in 1987, and its rousing melodies and thrilling piccolo solo have delighted wind band audiences for generations.

Symphony No. 2 “Voices” by James Stephenson is the major work on the program. The symphony is a three-movement, twenty-minute exploration of anger, heartbreak and reconciliation written in response to the death of Stephenson’s mother in 2016.

General admission tickets $5 advance, $10 door. OSU students with ID and K-12 youth admitted free. CAFA discounts apply. Advance tickets available online at: liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/musicevents. To request accommodations relating to a disability call 541-737-4671.

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About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts includes fine and performing arts, humanities and social sciences, making it one of the largest and most diverse colleges at OSU. The college’s research and instructional faculty members contribute to the education of all university students and provide national and international leadership, creativity and scholarship in their academic disciplines.