Conductor Troy Webdell has raised the bar and his baton for the South Shore Orchestra’s concert Metamorphosis, to be performed Friday, October 22, 2010 at 7:00 pm in Ivy Tech Auditorium Theater. Featuring the challenging and inspiring music of Heitor Villa Lobos, Igor Stravinsky and Antonin Dvorak, new territory is being explored by this extraordinary group—a community orchestra gone global. Webdell cites that “this entire 2010 season is based on exploring the connections between music and humanity inspired by our first China Tour at the invitation of Confucius Institute. Our wonderful experiences with the Chinese people reminded us we are all part of this larger entity called humanity.”
An earlier concert explored the Bohemian Highway but this one explains Webdell, was built from a theme of metamorphosis and change within humanity as well as relationships. Stravinsky’s Firebird and Villa Lobos’ Uirapuru are a comparison of humanity reborn—a legend of death and rebirth. Schindler’s List leads us through the shift of our world to something darker and not very nice. The Cello Concerto describes the transition of Dvorak’s musical style from his American experience as well as his personal life transformation from losing the woman he loved more than anything else but could never have.
Special guest cellist Loren Brown will perform the Cello Concerto. Brown has been with Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1985. Brown is a featured soloist with CSO as well as a regular performer in their chamber music series. He has also performed live on WFMT.
SSO is quite excited to have Loren make music with them. Making this connection with CSO is a bit of a metamorphosis for South Shore Orchestra as well, adding to their professional development in their short six-year history. Beginning with a dozen music educators, they have grown to a 60 plus membership comprised of professionals from all careers—medicine, social service, and the arts. SSO is multi-generational and draws from Porter, Lake and LaPorte counties, several traveling from Illinois or Michigan.
Another guest performer will be Zhiqing Li who is a visiting musician from the Shanghai Conservatory here to participate in the Great Lakes Confucius Institute Music Festival. Her performance on the erhu, a Chinese fiddle, will enhance the unusual soulful sound within Schndler’s List. The metamorphosis of instrumental sound from erhu to cello will also speak to a new thread being woven for next year—another China tour is in the works!
Join SSO on Friday, October 22 to experience Metamorphosis—change and transformation. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students with student ID. Children under 12 are free. Advance purchase can be made on their website SouthShoreOrchestra.com or they will be available at the door Ivy Tech Auditorium Theater is located at 3100 Ivy Tech Drive, Valparaiso, Indiana
Photos:
Loren Brown of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra rehearses Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with SSO in Valparaiso.
Maestro Troy Webdell directs with expression—the orchestra plays with expressive emotion and skill.
French horns--from right, John Bradford and Phil Loos