Arizona's Sierra Vista Symphony Successfully Starts Its 17th Season

The Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra began its 17th concert season at the Buena Arts Center on October 22, 2011 with a concert of music written for the dance. The two principal pieces, Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring and Leonard Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, are both musically and technically challenging, stretching the musicians and conductor Roger Bayes, and displaying the growth in the orchestra since its first concert on August 26, 1996.

The concert opened with the Festival Overture by Dmitri Shostokovich. The Overture was written for the celebration of the 37th anniversary of the Revolution of 1917 and is light and festive in character. It was followed by the Copeland, which was written for the Martha Graham Dance Company. The dances are not separate pieces but rather flow into one another seamlessly, changing mood and tempo. The staging of the dance was also seamless, with dancers waiting onstage in separate areas until they are called to dance. (The dance can be viewed online if you are interested.)

The music itself includes themes evocative of the western United States, with cowboy style dance tunes alternating with more serious sections. It is perhaps best known for the inclusion of the Shaker hymn, 'Tis A Gift to be Simple, which is played in various moods near the end of the piece.

Copeland uses texture throughout, dividing the strings into small groups for various sections, so at times only a few members of each section are playing. Though the SVSO string sections are smaller than most full orchestras, but even so, these textures were effective. The audience was enthusiastic in their response.

The second half began with the Dance of the Hours, from La Giaconda by Amilcare Ponchielli. This music has been used for other purposes, including a segment of the movie Fantasia (with dancing hippopotomi and ostriches), various cartoons, and in Alan Sherman's Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda back in the 1960's. In the 19th century, opera audiences expected to be entertained by a full ballet as well as the opera itself, The audience at this concert laughed when the orchestra began the Hello Mudda theme.

This was followed by the Bernstein. Bernstein himself set these dances for orchestral performance. The original play was a remarkable collaboration, with Bernstein's music, Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, and Jerome Robbins' choreography. The tricky rhythms and irregular meter, one would think, could make it difficult to dance to, but instead, the music and dances are inseparable in performance. During this performance, the audience applauded spontaneously after the Rumble, fully appreciating the orchestra's accomplishment and spirit.

There was an encore, Aram Khatchaturian's Sabre Dance.

The orchestra's growth can be seen in another way. This year, for the first time, we have a Principal Guest Conductor, Keitaro Harara, who will be conducting the final concert. He has conducted the orchestra twice before, including a full concert last year. The orchestra is pleased that he will perform with us again.

There are two more concerts this year. In January, the program will include Beethoven's Symphony #8. In January, there will also be two concerts for nearby school children, a tradition kept alive by community donors. The Sierra Vista community continues to have an active role in the orchestra, as supporters, board members, performers, and audiences. The student concerts are part of the SVSO's giving back, as are the seats for people from nearby Fort Huachuca.