Last modified: Wednesday, September 7, 2005
IU Philharmonic Orchestra to perform in South Bend, set stage for “moveable feast of the arts”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPT. 7, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, the premier orchestral ensemble of the IU School of Music, begins a new tradition this month on the university's South Bend campus with a performance that features violin virtuoso Jaime Laredo.
Master violinist Jaime Laredo will perform as a soloist with the Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra in South Bend on Sept. 18. Laredo joined the IU School of Music in April.
The concert, which will be held on Sept. 18 at 4 p.m. in the Campus Auditorium in Northside Hall, is being supported by IU's Moveable Feast of the Arts. It will serve as a pilot project for the moveable feast initiative, which is designed to showcase the university's cultural resources to IU campuses and communities across the state. IU President Adam Herbert has encouraged faculty and students in the fine and performing arts and in the humanities to conceptualize similar outreach programs as part of the moveable feast.
"Indiana University has an outstanding array of fine and performing arts programs. We are proud to share these impressive resources with all the citizens of Indiana," Herbert said. "I am delighted that the city of South Bend will be the first beneficiary of our Moveable Feast of the Arts program this new academic year.
"The Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra is made up of some of the most talented student musicians in America. They will provide a memorable performance as well as an opportunity for Hoosiers to experience the high quality of IU's rich arts traditions."
The concert is free and open to the public. However, a ticket is needed for admission and can be reserved through the IU South Bend Arts Box Office at 574-520-4203.
"When you are one of the top music schools in the world, it is important to let all geographical areas experience the great talent that we attract to IU," said Professor of Music David Effron, who will conduct the orchestra.
"We are delighted to host Indiana University's Philharmonic Orchestra," said IU South Bend Chancellor Una Mae Reck. "The concert is another example of the resources and opportunities that IU brings to communities across the state."
The Philharmonic Orchestra has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and at the opening of the Bastille Opera House in Paris. The ensemble has appeared under Gerard Schwarz, Robert Shaw, Kurt Masur, Leonard Bernstein and other leading maestros.
Grammy award-winning violinist Jaime Laredo, who joined the School of Music faculty in April, has performed worldwide for more than 40 years as a soloist, conductor, recitalist and chamber musician. A pupil and friend of the late IU Distinguished Professor Josef Gingold, he plays regularly with many of the world's leading orchestras and at most of the major music festivals. Indiana audiences may know him from his association with the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, which Gingold founded in 1982. He has served since 1994 as jury president for the competition.
Renowned conductor David Effron says it's important for the IU School of Music to share its music resources with all Hoosiers.
The Philharmonic is scheduled to perform a mixture of traditional and non-traditional works, including an operetta overture composed by Otto Nicolai, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, and a violin concerto by Ferruccio Busoni, an Italian composer and virtuoso pianist celebrated for his ability to blend tradition and innovation. His violin concerto, composed in 1897, is considered, like many of his works, to be very difficult to perform, though rewarding to listen to.
"It is complex. It's not played very often, probably because it is so technically difficult," Effron said. "But it is a wonderful concerto, reminiscent of Brahms, Mendelssohn and even Lalo, written in a very Romantic style. This concerto is extremely audience friendly."
Effron, who was a member of the New York City Opera conducting staff for 18 years, and Laredo collaborated on the same concerto 30 years ago in Philadelphia. Effron said audiences should expect to hear "a combination of great technical skill and an emotional, completely committed reading of this concerto."
The concert also will be performed as the School of Music's season opener at IU Bloomington. It will be held in the Musical Arts Center on Sept. 17 at 8 p.m.
