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Chamber
UNIQUE TRIO FOR THE ROMANTIC ERA IN SONG
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Chamber
JASPER'S LUSH PERFORMANCES OF STILL, DVORAK AND FUNG QUARTETS
by Abby Wasserman
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Symphony
A SHOUT AND SONIC WARHORSES AT NOVEMBER'S SRS CONCERT
by Peter Lert
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Choral and Vocal
ECLECTIC WORKS IN CANTIAMO SONOMA'S SEASON OPENING CONCERT
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Symphony
FRANKENSTEIN THRILLS IN UNIQUE SO CO PHIL CONCERT IN JACKSON THEATER
by Peter Lert
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Choral and Vocal
BAROQUE EXTRAVAGANZA AT AMERICAN BACH MARIN CONCERT
by Abby Wasserman
Friday, October 25, 2024
Recital
LARGE AUDIENCE HEARS AX IN WEILL PIANO RECITAL
by Terry McNeill
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Symphony
SRS' NEW SEASON OPENS WITH BEETHOVEN AND COPLAND IN WEILL
by Terry McNeill
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Chamber
TWO CHAMBER MUSIC WORKS AT MARIN'S MT. TAM CHURCH
by Abby Wasserman
Sunday, October 13, 2024
CALLISTO'S ELEGANCE IN UPBEAT 222 GALLERY CONCERT
by Terry McNeill
Friday, October 11, 2024
SYMPHONY REVIEW
Spring Lake Village Classical Music Series / Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra. Bobby Rogers, conductor. Henry Miller, violin; Samuel Oryn, narrator

YOUTH ORCHESTRA CHARMS BIG SPRING LAKE AUDIENCE

by Terry McNeill
Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Usually the Spring Lake Village auditorium stage is pretty empty, with a small chamber music ensembles. In February it was a solo harpist, and April’s concert will be a solo pianist. All that changed Feb. 28 when the 53 musicians of Santa Rosa Symphony’s Youth Orchestra took the stage before a packed hall of 150. Eighteen schools provided the performers.

Conducted by Bobby Rogers, the 53 players began with Smetana’s Moldau Suite from Má Vlast, and completed the first part with part of Ravel’s Tzigane, with violinist soloist concertmaster Henry Miller.

Playing in the abbreviated 1874 Moldau Suite was properly Wagnerian with Rheingold sonorities, the strings light and the percussion (Nathra Kem) loud. A shortened Tzigane excerpt caught the gypsy character of the music and Mr. Rogers’ tempo was brisk.

Oboist Samuel Oryn was the narrator for Prokofiev’s venerable Children’s Suite Peter and the Wolf, written in 1936 and popular since. Classy solos were heard throughout by Cheyeon Shin (flute); bassoonist Fisher Lamborn; Damian Burgess (clarinet) and hornist Remy Desjarlais. Instruments were placed both on the hall’s floor and the stage, winning the acoustic battle of the auditorium’s famously dry and un reverberant sound. Balances were good with lower string sound prevailing, especially the double basses.

Flute and bassoon duos were lovely and convincing, and as Mr. Oryn’s final words stated at the happy march to the zoo, the duck was still alive in the wolf’s stomach.