Photo by Kevin Harnack
Concord Chamber Orchestra
Concord Chamber Orchestra
For the opening concert of their 50th season, Concord Chamber Orchestra will present “Dancing through Time,” a program of music from across several centuries mostly—but not entirely—linked to the many rhythms of dance.
The concert is in conjunction with Violins of Hope, a project by Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra to bring instruments salvaged from the Holocaust into the hands of concert musicians from a variety of local ensembles.
Klezmer music is one component of “Dancing through Time.” Concord’s conductor, Jamin Hoffman, explains that years ago, one of the orchestra’s members, Harold Kacanek, had produced transcriptions of traditional Eastern European Jewish songs. Kacanek will lead a contingent of Concord members on those numbers, augmented by a guest accordionist, Mike Lizzo. “The organizers of Violins of Hope said, ‘Don’t focus only on the sad parts of the past,’” Hoffman says of the lively if melancholic melodies.
A more somber note will be struck by a familiar Jewish liturgical prayer, Kol Nidre, as arranged by New York’s Steven Rosenhaus, a living composer whose work has been heard in previous Concord seasons. “We were looking for a religious theme in connection with Violins of Hope,” Hoffman continues. “The Kol Nidre is a thoughtful prayer asking for forgiveness. It will be performed in a moving string quartet arrangement.”
Hoffman joined the Concord Chamber Orchestra in 1989 and became its conductor in 2003. The lineup can include anywhere from 40 to 60 musicians. Concord’s performance space at St. Sebastian Church on Milwaukee’s West Side cannot accommodate every member, which means that some musicians rotate in and out during the season. “We have to turn people away,” Hoffman says. “I hope it’s because of the orchestra’s reputation, but post-Covid, people want to get out and do more things. There is a desire for collegiality, to help make something larger than the sum of its parts.”
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Photo courtesy of Concord Chamber Orchestra
Autumn Maria Reed
Wisconsin composer Autumn Maria Reed
“Dancing through Time” will include a newly commissioned work, The Leaping Whitetail, by Wisconsin composer Autumn Maria Reed. “We wanted a short celebratory overture, and when she sent me the rough draft, I said, ‘That’s it!’ It starts off in mixed meter and puts me in mind of a deer jumping in a field. It makes use of harp, brass and percussion. It’s buoyant and energetic, with a slower mid-section.”
The program will venture back in time for Peter Warlock’s Capitol Suite, a collection of Renaissance themes reharmonized by the early 20th century British composer. “It has driving energy, interesting chords, sometimes harsh but approachable,” Hoffman says. Concord will also Suite en forme de valses by Mélanie Bonis, a French woman who emerged early last century at a time when female composers were rare. Hoffman describes it as “three waltzes, each with a distinct feeling. It’s a seldom-heard piece. We try to program music by lesser-known composers.”
The concert will be capped by a composition that needs no introduction, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with New York pianist Greg Hartmann, the 2016 winner of Concord’s annual Walter A. and Dorothy J. Oestreich Concerto Competition.
“Rhapsody in Blue has dance-jazz rhythms. As ‘Dancing through Time’ suggests, these are very dance-like pieces. The Leaping Whitetail fits into the that same idea. It’s bouncy, upbeat and fun,” Hoffman concludes.
Concord Chamber Orchestra will perform “Dancing through Time,” 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at St. Sebastian Parish, 5400 W. Washington Blvd. For more information, visit concordorchestra.org.
