Fri night (8/8) - Third Concert of the 2014 Britt Classical Festival New music director Teddy Abrams and the Britt Orchestra continue to impress during his inaugural season. What a treat this 3rd concert was - a rare opportunity to hear some new pieces the audience never would have been exposed to before Mr. Abrams, plus another superlative performance of one of the cornerstone pieces of the classical repertoire. The program began with a work (Walking) by the 26 year old contemporary composer, Sebastian Chang, that was premiered in November 2013 by the Detroit Symphony, conducted by Mr. Abrams. As with Mr. Abrams own new piece premiered on opening night, Walking was a lively short piece that utilized all the various sections of the orchestra, and gave many of the musicians an opportunity to strut their stuff. The audience clearly enjoyed it and I have to believe the musicians did too. That was followed by something truly out of the ordinary, as preeminent contemporary Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck stepped to the stage and joined the Orchestra in performing his original work, The Impostor, the first (and only) Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra (premiered 2011 by Nashville Symphony; dedicated to Earl Scruggs). If you ever wondered if such a thing as a Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra was even possible, this was proof positive. Kudos to Mr. Fleck for a task well done, to Mr. Abrams for putting it on the program, and to the orchestra musicians for a very fine performance. All of that however was just prelude to the final piece on the program, a majestic performance of Brahms Symphony No. 1. Once again, Mr. Abrams raised the Orchestra to new heights, leading the musicians to an exceptionally energetic and bright performance of this oft played and well known staple of the symphonic orchestra repertoire. Can they sustain this level of excellence for four more concerts this season? I wouldnt bet against it. Meanwhile, here is a one minute excerpt live recording of something the vast majority have never heard before: One minute excerpt from The Impostor, Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra, 3rd movement (Truth Revealed) by Bela Fleck, performed by Bela Fleck & the Britt Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Teddy Abrams
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 06:10:20 +0000
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