GVO e-Newsletter - September 2007

[Caroline Tsai]

The Greenwich Village Orchestra
e-Newsletter -  September, 2007

Welcome to the 2007-2008 season of the Greenwich Village Orchestra! This newsletter will regularly bring you insights into the music-making and activities of the GVO. In this issue, we discuss the upcoming "Awakened" concert on September 30 at 3:00PM. For more information, log onto our website at www.gvo.org.

Maestro Barbara Yahr

From the Podium

In Europe, music history comes alive. It is often pointed out that, for example, Mahler conducted here, Mozart lived in this or that apartment or Schubert drank coffee at that corner café. The great composers of the western music tradition seem more real; they walked the same streets where one can still walk and played music in many of the same concert halls. Although we have plenty of living history with our own native born composers, not to mention other musical genres, one has to work harder to bring the classical masters to life here in 21st century New York City. We just don't feel the geographical and historical closeness the way they do "over there."

But there are exceptions. At the Greenwich Village Orchestra, we have a special connection with at least one composer who lived in our neighborhood: Antonín Dvorák. Dvorák served as the Director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City from 1892-94. The school stood on Irving Place, between 16th and 17th Streets, at the very site where Washington Irving High School stands now. Dvorák was not just an administrator at the school. Three mornings a week, he taught instrumentation and composition and the remaining three mornings, he conducted the orchestra and the choir. In fact, he conducted his Sixth Symphony, the work we play at our opening concert, with the Conservatory orchestra during his first year teaching.

Dvorák's biography was one of a talented musician working his way up from his humble Czech origins to international prominence. It is always interesting to ponder the fact that before he was permitted to study music full time, Dvorak had started his training to be a butcher, the trade of his father and grandfather. He was always short on money and earned a living for many years after his graduation from conservatory playing viola in a small band.

But once he started composing seriously, his work was noticed. Influential people believed in Dvorák. His music was praised by the important critic Eduard Hanslick and by one of the most successful German composers of his day, Johannes Brahms. Both Hanslick and Brahms believed that Dvorak belonged on the international music scene and did their best to get his works published, and to arrange for commissions and concerts.

Much is made of the influence of Brahms's music on that of Dvorak's. In particular, the connection between Brahms' 2nd Symphony and the one the GVO is performing, Dvorak's Symphony No. 6. The the key is the same, the meter and the pastoral feeling of the first movement, and the furtive start to the Finale.

The similarities do not hold up for the 3rd movement. This is a completely different kind of Scherzo than Brahms could ever have written. Here, Dvorák uses an old Bohemian folk dance called a Furiant. In this form the meter alternates between 3/4 and 2/4 creating the sense of switching back and forth between dancing a waltz and the twist. The movement created such a sensation at its premier that it was immediately encored.

Even without that unique Scherzo, one could never mistake this symphony for one by Brahms, or any other composer for that matter. Dvorák had still to write his most famous symphonies, (Nos. 7, 8 and 9) but his voice as a composer is clearly present in this work. The qualities that make Dvorak sound like Dvorak had already emerged: humanity, spontaneity and the powerful, unpretentious expression of emotion.

That is how I come back to Irving Place. The Greenwich Village Orchestra has a special affinity for Dvorák's music, not only because of our geographical connection but because the spirit of our orchestra is connected with the spirit of his music. Our orchestra is fueled by powerful emotions, spontaneity, good will and perhaps above all, our love of music. That is a tradition which we share with musicians all over the world and which we intend to uphold.


 
Meet the Soloist -
Trombonist Nitzan Har-oz

The Greenwich Village Orchestra is thrilled to be able to present Nitzan Har-oz, Prinicpal Trombone with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as our soloist for this opening concert of the 2007-2008 season. We are very fortunate to have Nitzan with us to share his virtuosity as well as extraordinary artistry as he performs the Nino Rota Trombone Concerto. Best known as the composer of the music for the films of Federico Fellini, Rota composed wonderful operas as well as symphonic music. Rota was influenced by his friend Stravinsky, but his music is characterized most by great melodic contours, harmonic transparency, humor and charm.

BY: When did you start playing the trombone?
NH: I was nine years old when I started playing the trombone.

BY: You are from Israel originally -- what brought you to this country?
NH: I came to the US mainly to expand my musical studies. I also knew that the USA has a rich tradition in brass playing and wanted to get coached by one of the masters here.

BY: How do you feel about the different styles of brass playing in America, Israel, Europe?
NH: The world is becoming a smaller place with today's technology, the style of Brass playing in my opinion is becoming more and more alike (in a good way). American Brass soloists play more " European" style, elegant, sweet, Orchestral Brass players in Israel and Europe play more like American brass players - brilliant, brassy with higher standards.

BY: I think the Rota is such a charming and wonderful work. What do you love about the Rota Concerto?
NH: The Rota Concerto is first of all great music, especially the second movement, which is absolutely gorgeous. The piece is also very well written for the trombone and very well orchestrated.

BY: You have now played in two major orchestra's in the U.S. What do you make of the much discussed "crisis" classical music? Do you think the audiences are really disappearing, dying out?
NH: In today's world a person has a lot more variety to choose from when looking for cultural entertainment, in the music business alone there are endless styles and performers, we have a lot more competition.... Audiences are getting smaller also because the young generation is not getting enough exposure to classical music.



Musical Chairs

The Greenwich Village Orchestra is looking for sponsors to support each and every musical chair in the orchestra. All the funds generated through this campaign will be used exclusively for direct expenses of our musicians such as sheet music rental and purchase, equipment maintenance, rehearsal and concert hall rental.

The level of sponsorship depends on the musical chair in question:

Music Director's Podium	$1,000
Concertmaster's Chair	$500
Principal Chairs	$400
All other Chairs	$200

Your support and participation in the Musical Chairs program will make it possible for the GVO to continue to provide our musicians with an increasingly exciting music-making environment. This program allows us to use our other limited financial resources to obtain leading guest artists and offer complimentary tickets to those who may never experience a live symphony orchestra performance on stage. Your contribution towards ensuring a successful Musical Chairs program will help us achieve our mission of providing great music at affordable prices. We are dedicated to serving Lower Manhattan as a vital cultural and educational resource.

Click Here if you are interested in participating in our Musical Chairs program

We greatly appreciate any help you can give us.

Next Concert: "Spiritual"
Sunday, November 18, 2007 3:00 PM
Tickets: $15.00 for general admission
$10 for seniors and students (with valid school ID)

Location
Washington Irving Auditorium
40 Irving Place (between 16th and 17th)
New York, NY 10003

Program:

Rimsky-Korsakov	Russian Easter Overture
Lam	"Her Thousand Year Dance" World Premiere; Eric Jacobsen & Kojiro Umezaki, soloists
Bruch	Kol Nidrei; Eric Jacobsen, soloist
Strauss	Death and Transfiguration

For more information:
- Greenwich Village Orchestra
- Maestro Barbara Yahr

Greenwich Village Orchestra
P.O. Box 910
New York, NY 10113