New Century Chamber Orchestra at First Congregational Church, September 21, 2017

New Century Chamber Orchestra with Daniel Hope
First Congregational Church
2345 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2201 USA
8:00 PM, Thursday, September 21, 2017

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• Alan Fletcher: Violin Concerto (World Premiere)
• Wljciech Kilar: Orawa
• Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings
• Mendelssohn: Octet

[8:02 PM lights down, band out]

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): Octet for Strings in E-flat, Op. 20; arranged for NCCO by Daniel Hope

1. [8:05 PM] Allegro moderato ma con fuoco
2. [8:20 PM] Andante
3. [8:23 PM] Scherzo
4. [8:27 PM] Presto
   [work ends 8:37 PM]
   
   [8:38 PM David Hope talks awhile, then introduces Alan Fletcher, who talks about his concerto]

Alan Fletcher (b.1956): Concerto for Violin (World Premiere)

1. [8:44 PM] Allegro Flessible
2. [8:51 PM] Andante
3. [9:03 PM] Allegro
   [set ends 9:10 PM; applause for a few minutes, then all off for a break]

[9:31 PM lights down, announcements, band out]

Wljciech Kilar (1932-2013): Orawa (1986)

1. [9:33 PM] Orawa
   [work ends 9:43 PM]

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 48

1. [9:44 PM] Pezzo in forma di sonatina: Andante non troppo — Allegro moderato
2. [9:54 PM] Valse: Moderato — Tempo di valse
3. [9:58 PM] Élégie: Larghetto elegiaco
4. [10:06 PM] Finale (Tema russo): Andante — Allegro con spirito
   [set ends 10:14 PM]
   
   Encore
5. [10:16 PM] America the Beautiful
   [show ends 10:19 PM; all off after a few minutes of applause]

NCCO

• Robin Bonnell: cello;
• Michelle Djokic: acting co-principal cello;
• Jenny Douglass: viola;
• Candace Guirao: principal second violin;
• Daniel Hope: violin, concertmaster;
• Anna Kruger: viola;
• Anthony Manzo: contrabass;
• Robin Mayforth: violin, associate concertmaster;
• Isaac Melamed: acting co-principal cello;
• Deborah Tien Price: second violin;
• Elizabeth Prior: viola;
• Cassandra Lynne Richburg: viola;
• Karen Shinozaki Sor: violin;
• Iris Stone: violin.
  
  - with guests -
• Hrabba Atladottir: violin;
• Jory Fankuchen: second violin;
• Michelle Kwon: cello;
• Kayo Miki: second violin;
• Evan Price: second violin;
  
  - with guests (Fletcher Concerto only)-
• Eric Achen: French horn;
• Laura Griffiths: oboe;
• Alicia Telford: French horn.

First show in FCC since the fire last fall? I guess the church reopened in June, but this was my first concert there in awhile. It’s nice to be back!

For me, tonight's revelation was Wljciech Kilar's' Orawa; I'd love to hear it again, and I'm curious to hear other works by this composer. Google Play Music, here I come…

Joshua Kosman posted a review of tonight's show at SFGate. Interestingly, he seemed to like everything except the opening piece, which he decried as thick and blurry (no doubt due to Hope's rearrangement of the octet writing for the larger chamber orchestra). I agree that the opener was a bit syrupy at times!

Michael Strickland reviewed the Saturday night show (and posted a bunch of pictures) on his blog. His opinion seemed to jibe with the other critics.

Niels Swinkels posted a nice review of the Saturday night show (from Herbst) at SFCV.

Cedric posted his thoughts regarding Sunday's show in Marin at SFist

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2017 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2017 event list! ☸ On to the next event!