The BYU-Hawaii Chamber Orchestra and North Shore Symphonic Wind Orchestra (NSSWO), directed by Dr. Daniel Bradshaw, Ernest Taniguchi, and Dr. David Kammerer, presented a set of classical pieces they have been polishing since Christmas break in a musical concert on Thursday Feb. 18.
“When you come to it in person it sounds a lot more rich than if you were to just listen to it on your iPod,” said audience member Julia McConville, a freshman from Yosemite, Calif., studying English.
“I could feel the soul of the people up there on the stage. It makes me jealous; I want to play that well.”The program was divided into two separate portions with an intermission in between. The first featured four specialized, smaller musical numbers, ranging from a violin duet to a brass quintet.
Trumpet player Suzanne Kinghorn, a senior from Laie studying trumpet performance, began the concert with music professor Jennifer Duerden on the piano; the first movement in a piece called
“Sonata for Trumpet and Piano” by Kent Kennan. Following their performance, violinists Jinju Choi and Jinyong Jung performed four quips of Bela Bartok’s “44 Duos for Two Violins,” which included one piece played entirely without the bow.
The two women played with synchronized precision the unique, slightly dissonant excerpts. Koko Ohira performed next, an alto saxophone solo accompanied by pianist Hikaru Imaizumi called “Liebeslied” (Love’s Sorrow) by Fritz Kreisler.
Ohira played with expressive body movements and impactful dynamics that corresponded with the mellow tone and smoothness of the composition. Next up was the brass quintet: a campus debut of an original composition by trombonist Kevin Peterson, a senior music major from Laie, called “Daydream.”
The song featured him on trombone, Suzanne Kinghorn on trumpet, Dr. David Kammerer on flugelhorn, Spencer Orr on French horn, and Elder Owen Denison on tuba—all members of the BYU-H Brass Ensemble. “I really liked the song that was written by the student,” said McConville.
“I like the name ‘Daydream’ because it fits. It totally felt like a daydream. [It was] sweet and melodic.”
In the second half of the concert, the BYU-H Chamber Orchestra performed a number, followed be a performance from NSSWO. The finale consisted of a combined performance from both of them. Sydney Taylor, a freshman from Idaho majoring in bioengineering, played the flute as part of NSSWO.
She said she has been playing her instrument since elementary school, and is sad to leave NSSWO. “I really learned the importance of listening and tuning pitches to match the styles of all the different instruments,” said Taylor. “It was challenging, but it was a good learning experience.”
NSSWO played “Third Suite” by Robert E. Jäger, a piece divided into three movements in three different styles: March, Waltz, and Rondo. Taylor said her favorite was the Rondo. “I like the rhythms, they're very fast and playful; it's just a fun, lively song.”
Dallin Gold, a trumpet player who is a sophomore biochemistry major from Laie, said he was overall very pleased with that night’s particular performance. “Everything worked. During rehearsals, I don't think we were really listening, but tonight it sounded great.”