By Julie Bauer, Staff Writer
The Susquehanna Music Department presented the Leonard Bernstein Centennial Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 in Stretansky Concert Hall. The concert involved the University Symphonic Band, Orchestra, Choir and Chamber Singers.
2018 marks the centennial anniversary of Bernstein’s birth. According to the event’s program, Bernstein was known worldwide as the composer of “West Side Story,” “Candide” and “On the Town,” among other works. According to the program, he was also a widely renowned conductor, leading the New York Philharmonic and other orchestras. In addition to composing and conducting, Bernstein was a revolutionary music educator and political activist.
Posthumously, Bernstein was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame and the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
The University Orchestra, conducted by Assistant Professor of Music Gregory Grabowski, opened the night with “Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.”
Next, the University Chorale, conducted by Adjunct Faculty in Music Judith White, performed “The Best of All Possible Worlds” from “Candide.”
The University Choir performed “Chichester Psalms” and was conducted Amy Voorhees, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities.
The choir performance featured five soloists and accompaniment on harp, percussion and organ.
Voorhees also conducted the University Chamber Singers, who performed “Somewhere” from “West Side Story.”
The concert closed with the University Symphonic Band performing “Candide Suite” and “Slava! A Concert Overture.”
For senior Brennan Rudy, who plays trumpet, the most challenging aspect of preparing for the concert was nailing down the right character for each phrase.
Rudy performed for both the orchestra and the symphonic band. “I would say the most challenging aspect of preparing Bernstein’s music is finding the right color for each phrase,” Rudy said. “There are a lot of short solos and phrases in the parts that each need their own character.”
First-year vocalist Julia Loudenback performed “The Best of All Possible Worlds” with the University Chorale.
Loudenback noted the difficulty of mastering the work and including more than just the music itself.
“That was probably the hardest part for us because it really is a performance piece,” Loudenback said. “It’s not just a song … We were trying really hard to add some acting into it.”
Both Rudy and Loudenback praised Bernstein’s work.
“I love the individual aspect of Bernstein’s music,” Rudy said. “Nobody in the ensemble is ‘lost in the crowd’ or essentially performing under the lead players.”
“One of my favorite songs that I’ve ever sung is ‘Somewhere,’” Loudenback said. “It’s one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. I felt really lucky to be involved in a concert that celebrated music like this.”
According to Rudy, the performance enjoyed a larger crowd than is typical of musical performances at Susquehanna.
Audience member Jeff Savoca, who attended the concert to see his daughter, sophomore Stacie Savoca, perform, said, “We’re having a nice evening and [the concert] is very enjoyable.”
Rudy and Loudenback considered the night to be a success and hoped that the audience took away an appreciation of Bernstein’s music.
“A live performance is never perfect, but there’s always something special about the concert being your best run of the music and I believe it was,” Rudy said.
“I really hope that people enjoyed it, because I did … It was a lot of music [that] took you everywhere emotionally, so I hope that people got to enjoy that ride,” Loudenback said. “If they enjoyed the mastery of the music, then I think they got an appreciation for the work that Leonard Bernstein did.”
