The Journal

Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Lifestyle

Media Credit: Megan DeGonia Paul G. Davis conducts the Webster University Symphony Orchestra as Soprano Kate Reimann takes the stage to sing two selections by George Frideric Handel on Sunday, Jan. 31 at the Community Music School.

While symphony performances, in general, typically seem to draw an older crowd, the focus of the Webster University Symphony Orchestra concert Jan. 31 was on James Peretta - a 2010 Young Artist Award winner. The 18-year-old cellist brought a contrast to performance - the first of many contrasts that night.

But before the performance began, the WU Symphony Orchestra paid homage to one of its own - Natasha Rebinstein, a cellist who died Jan. 2 of this year.

Peretta, a senior at Lindbergh High School, has been playing cello for eight years and received the Young Artist Award in November after auditioning for the spot. He joined the orchestra during its second piece, "Concerto No. 2 for cello, in D Major." Peretta doesn't yet know where he will attend college but is applying and will know by April.

Emily Pieper, a junior music education major, enjoyed the performance by Peretta.

"(Peretta) was phenomenal," Pieper said. "All the soloists were wonderful tonight."

Besides Peretta, the performances were peppered with other local talents, including Kate Reimann, who sang during "Let the Bright Seraphim" and "Piangerò, la sorte mia," two pieces by George Handel. Also featured during the performance was Susie Thierbach, a violinist who joined the orchestra for Antonio Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons."

The orchestra also played pieces by Franz Josef Haydn and Johann Christian Bach.

The performance of "The Four Seasons" also had an accompanying sonnet written by Vivaldi that was read before the performance of each "season." During this section of the performance, Jeffrey Carter, chair of the music department, stepped in for Paul Davis as conductor. Carter said he is normally in the audience during these performances but was a substitute for Davis, who sat in the audience during the second half of the concert.

Carter and Davis agreed that people often look at classical music as boring or not relevant.

"Symphonic literature is as much an expression of the human condition as rap," Carter said.

Continued...

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