Violinist Pei-Wen Liao, 14, entrances those in Town Hall with her performance.

Everyone probably has his or her favorite music, but it is often difficult to truly appreciate classical music in today’s society.  When "A Musical Journey Through the West" was held at the Town Hall on Feb. 24, it was an amazing sight that so many children hopped happily into the auditorium with their parents and grandparents.

Photos by Yujia Xiao

The show was planned to start at 3 p.m., but people were still coming in continuously around 10 past 3.  "I want to thank Robbins Library for sponsoring this program,” said Liza Halley, the Russell Fund coordinator.

The Russell Fund helps to disburse money for children’s activities, such as an Arlington Philharmonic concert, crafts and singalongs.

Audience jams Town Hall for a Sunday afternoon concert.

The Philharmonic Society of Arlington presented its music to more than the 60 families who came to enjoy the show. All the orchestra members were dressed in black, and the 63 performers played music to such an extent that the audience thought they were professional musicians.

"They are not professional musicians, but many have played for many years. They just like to play music," said Walter Pavasaris, the conductor of the "Musical Journey Through the West."

The five pieces of music were played in a sequence that allowed the music itself to tell a story of the journey.

The first piece performed was "Outdoor Overture" by Aaron Copland, a notable American composer who had written many pieces of music for films and concerts. "Outdoor Overture" was upbeat and exciting, giving people a sense of freedom and happiness. Upstairs in the auditorium, a girl and boy danced to the music, and another girl downstairs shook her head and body madly, totally absorbed in the music.

The next piece, Copland's "Corral Nocturne," depicts the time before a group of girls go to a dance. Pavasaris told the audience one cowgirl has eyes on a ranger and wants to impress him so much. Unlike the first piece, "Corral Nocturne" was considerably more serene and peaceful.

A parent upstairs pulled down blinds to block the glaring sunlight. Coincidentally, this also softened the auditorium's light and created a sense of romance. Even though this piece was shorter than the first, the orchestra members received an equal amount of cheering as they did for the first piece.

The longest, and probably the most exciting work, was Beethoven's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, first movement, featuring Pei-Wen Liao.

Liao is an 8th-grader and the youngest person to win the first prize in the Taipei City Music Competition. She was also the winner of the 2007 Young Artist Competition Wood Prize, sponsored by the Philharmonic Society of Arlington. Along with the Robbins Library, the Philharmonic Society of Arlington also sponsored "A Musical Journey."

"She [Liao] is a wonderful violinist. It's a treat," said Pavasaris, the conductor.

This piece began with a serene tune, then it suddenly became upbeat. Liao, dressed in an elegant dress, played the violin gracefully. One professional photographer at the back waited and captured her best moments. Interestingly, because of Liao’s major role in the piece, she seemed to lead the orchestra.

Even people who did not know her were amazed and clapped incessantly after the music was finished. "How about that 14-year-old," Pavasaris said.

The second to last piece was Copland's "Saturday Night Waltz." According to Pavasaris, this features a ranger asking the girl to dance, but she’s being cool about it. Again, the music was chirpy with flavors of romance embedded in the notes. One boy downstairs in red cowboy hat and boots seemed all excited and danced to the tune.

Rossini's William Tell Overture concluded the program. The familiar music theme for "The Lone Ranger" television program in the 1950s received not only the attention of adults but also that of children. Many children pretended to be riding horses; one girl in the second row was totally captured by the music, for she pretended she was playing the flute and the trombone.

The program ended with great success, and many people stayed afterwards to talk to the conductor and members of the orchestra.

One person has commented on this article.

 1. President, Ballet Academy Inc.
Fran Kotelly, Unregistered

Great article . You captured the afternoon perfectly.thanks

 Posted 2008-03-03 10:21:02

Please keep your comments brief and on topic, and remember that this is not a discussion thread.
Name :
Title :
E-mail :
Website :
	Text ColorAquaBlackBlueFuchsiaGrayGreenLimeMaroonNavyOlivePurpleRedSilverTealWhiteYellow
Comment(s) :

J! Reactions 1.09.00 • General Site License
Copyright © 2006 S. A. DeCaro