Beach, Bruch and Bizet: UMD University Orchestra
Beach, Bruch and Bizet: UMD University Orchestra
About the Event
Sahsa Kandybin, conductor
Julie Huang Tucker, conductor
Jessica Zhu, violin
For its March concert, the University Orchestra presents a performance featuring three prominent composers of the Romantic era: Amy Beach, Max Bruch and Georges Bizet.
Delightfully lighthearted, the light waltz of Beach’s Bal Masqué draws inspiration from the festive atmosphere of a masquerade ball. The gentle lilt and flirtatious melodies of this single-movement orchestral work capture the essence and allure of the ballroom.
Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor puts the composer’s affinity for folk music on full display from the very beginning. Lush, pensive moments of lamenting in the first two movements serve as a prelude to the piece's boisterous finale, allowing the soloist to demonstrate their full virtuosity and technique. This piece will be performed by the 2024 UMD School of Music Concert Competition second-place recipient, Jessica Zhu.
This performance concludes with Bizet’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major. Composed just after his 17th birthday in 1855, this charming and elegant piece was one of Bizet’s first substantial compositions. Despite his age, this symphony shares many stylistic hallmarks with his later works, including lines that foreshadow his immortal opera, Carmen.
Program
Amy Beach: Bal Masqué
Max Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26 featuring Jessica Zhu, violin
INTERMISSION
Georges Bizet: Symphony No. 1 in C Major