By Kathryn Olsen
On January 25, the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra will be taking the audience to the Emerald Isle through its A Celtic Celebration with guest artists, soprano Vanessa Joy and pianist Marvin Goldstein at Timberline Middle School in Alpine. Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra is an entirely volunteer ensemble, including the conductor, and has been delighting audiences with its interpretations of classics and modern works since 2011. The orchestra’s founder and music director, John Pew, took some time to grant an interview that helps prepare attendees for the concert as well as heightening the excitement for this special program.
In terms of choice of music for the season, how is that done? Is it done with your governing board of directors or entirely your choice?
In terms of choice of music for thede season, how is that done? Is it done with your governing board of directors or entirely your choice?
As the music director, I make the choices for all the music that’s played. I reach out to a small committee of people who help me–members of the orchestra, my assistant conductor, who is also my son–but the final decision for the season is all mine.
You said that you have a small committee of members of the orchestra. Now, are there any outside voices that are used for that kind of selection for the committee?
Not in the formal way, but there are concertgoers who ask if I ever consider doing a particular piece. One of the pieces that we’re doing in our March concert is a recommendation from one of our patrons, which I didn’t know. After listening to it and liking it, I put it on the program.
I see that the one in March is both the Stravinsky Firebird and the Mozart Concerto No. 4 for Violin. Is this something that’s not mentioned on the program or is it one of those?
There are several other things on the program. We’re starting with the John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine and then we do the Mozart violin concerto with Alex Woods from BYU. Then, in the second half, the piece that was referred by this patron of ours is by a composer by the name of Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari. The Secret of Susanne is a short, three- or four-minute piece. Then we’re doing the Carmen Suite No. 1 by Bizet, and then the final piece on the program is the Firebird Suite.
With this upcoming Celtic Celebration, this is sort of a chicken and egg question, but did you decide on a Celtic-themed concert, and then contact the soloists or was it a matter of wanting to work with Vanessa and Marvin?
It’s really Marvin Goldstein and Vanessa Joy. I’ve talked to Marvin for years and then I actually met him at an orchestra concert over the summer. We hit it off and started talking about doing a concert together. He had a whole program already organized and orchestrated around Celtic music, which he proposed as the concert that we would do together. That’s the genesis of this. All of the music is coming from him and they’ve actually performed this very concert in other venues. We fit it in as an extra concert–it’s not part of our regular concert series–but that’s how it came about.
I’m a violinist myself and remember doing some Celtic music that was slightly different in style from my normal repertoire. Are there any changes or different ways that the orchestra has had to prepare for this kind of music?
As far as rehearsal goes, Marvin and Vanessa are coming in the week of the concert and we have a dress rehearsal with them on Friday. It’s standard orchestration and it’s pretty straight-forward. It’s not like playing Stravinsky. There’s a difference in including a rhythm section comprising a drum set, a bass player, and a guitarist, who play along with the orchestra. It gives the music a more modern, “pop music” feel, but otherwise, we’re providing all of the orchestral accompaniment.
You mentioned the drum set and I’m curious. I know that a lot of Irish folk music has things like some traditional drums that are slightly different from what you would find in your average drum set. Is any of that being used?
Some percussion is used, but there is a special kind of drum and things like egg-shakers that supplement the percussion section of the orchestra.
My final question is, if someone is coming to the orchestra’s concert for the first time, what is something that they should listen for the most or something that you think they would particularly enjoy?
I, personally, believe that concertgoers benefit from listening to the music in advance. With the Stravinsky Firebird Suite, if it’s the first time you hear it at the concert, there’s a difference between listening to it a few times and experiencing it performed live. From personal experience, if I attend a live symphonic concert, I will appreciate music I’ve heard a couple of times more. There are some exceptions to that, but this Celtic concert with Marvin Goldstein and Vanessa Joy is a different animal because it’s not a typical classical music concert, so I think people can enjoy hearing familiar songs, such as “Danny Boy” and “Shenandoah” as well as music that is not as familiar to them. The program is very accessible and very beautiful. Vanessa has a beautiful voice and I think it will be thoroughly enjoyable for the people who come.
In terms of choice of music for the season, how is that done? Is it done with your governing board of directors or entirely your choice?
Well, I’m the music director, so I make the choices for all the music that’s played. The board of directors is more for things on the business side–fund-raising, marketing, that kind of thing–but since I’m the music director, you know, I reach out to a small committee of people who help me. Members of the orchestra, my assistant conductor (who is my son). But the final decision for the season is all mine.
You said that you have a small committee of members of the orchestra. Now, are there any outside voices that are used for that kind of selection for the committee?
Not in the formal way, but I do get people who come to our concerts and talk to me and say, “Hey, John, did you ever consider doing this?” One of the pieces that we’re doing in our March concert is a recommendation from one of our patrons who comes to our concerts. He talked to me and said “Here is a great piece. Did you ever consider doing it?” and I didn’t know it, so I listened to it and I liked it and I put it on the program.
I see that the one in March is both the Stravinsky Firebird and the Mozart Concerto No. 4 for Violin. Is this something that’s not mentioned on the program or is it one of those?
There are several other things on the program. We’re starting with the John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine and then we do the Mozart violin concerto with Alex Woods from BYU. I didn’t know it, so I listened to it and I liked it and I put it on the program. Then, in the second half, the piece that was referred by this patron of ours is by a composer by the name of Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari and it’s called The Secret of Susanne. It’s a short, three- or four-minute piece. Then we’re doing the Carmen Suite No. 1 by Bizet, and then the final piece on the program is the Firebird Suite.
With this upcoming Celtic Celebration, this is sort of a chicken and egg question, but did you decide on a Celtic-themed concert, and then contact the soloists or was it a matter of wanting to work with Vanessa and Marvin?
It’s really Marvin Goldstein and Vanessa Joy. So, you know, I’ve talked to Marvin for years and then I actually met him at an orchestra concert over the summer. We hit it off and started talking about doing a concert together and he had a whole program already organized, you know, with the Celtic music. He proposed that as the concert that we would do together; he had all the orchestrations and everything, so that’s kind of the genesis of this. All of the music is coming from him and they’ve actually performed this very concert in other venues and in other locations. We fit it in as an extra concert–it’s not part of our regular concert series–but that’s how it came about.
I’m a violinist myself and remember doing some Celtic music that was slightly different in style from my normal repertoire. Are there any changes or different ways that the orchestra has had to prepare for this kind of music?
Not really. I mean, as far as rehearsal goes, Marvin and Vanessa are coming in the week of the concert and we have a dress rehearsal with them on Friday. It’s standard orchestration and it’s pretty straight-forward. It’s not like playing Stravinsky, I’ll tell you that. But the thing that’s a little bit different is that there’s a rhythm section, so there’s a drum set and a bass player, and a guitar player that play along with the orchestra, which is a more modern, kind of a pop-music kind of feel. But otherwise, we’re providing all of the orchestral accompaniment.
You mentioned the drum set and I’m curious. I know that a lot of Irish folk music has things like some traditional drums that are slightly different from what you would find in your average drum set. Is any of that being used?
A little bit. Some percussion is used; there’s a special kind of drum, or things like egg-shakers that are either part of the rhythm section. There’s still a percussion section of the orchestra that’s playing some of those instruments.
My final question is, if someone is coming to the orchestra’s concert for the first time, what is something that they should listen for the most or something that you think they would particularly enjoy?
Well, with the Marvin Goldstein concert, I don’t know that there’s much preparation like I was talking about in the other concerts. I, personally, believe that concertgoers benefit from listening to the music in advance. Like, when we’re doing it with the Stravinsky Firebird Suite, if it’s the first time you hear it at the concert, I actually don’t think that’s as good as experiencing it if you listen to it a few times in advance and then come hear it live. Just for me, from my personal experience, if I go to a live symphonic concert, if I hear a piece, about 80 or 90% of the time, I don’t appreciate it as much as something I already know and have listened to a couple of times. There are some exceptions to that, but that’s generally my opinion. This Celtic thing with Marvin Goldstein and Vanessa Joy is kind of a different animal because it’s not a typical classical music concert, so I think people can just come and totally enjoy it. They’ll hear some songs that are very familiar, things like “Danny Boy” and “Shenandoah” and a bunch of other ones that are familiar, as well as some that are not as familiar to them. But it’s very accessible and very beautiful. Vanessa has a beautiful voice and I think it will be thoroughly enjoyable for people who come.
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This one-night concert will be a night to remember and there is still plenty of time to get tickets. Come for a night of lilting music from across the River Liffey for fun for the whole family.
Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra Presents A Celtic Celebration: Marvin Goldstein & Vanessa Joy
Timberline Middle School, 500 W Canyon Crest Rd, Alpine, UT 84004
Jan 25, 2020, 7:30 PM
Tickets: $24
Contact: (801) 210-2466
TImpanogos Symphony Orchestra Facebook Page
A Celtic Celebration: Marvin Goldstein & Vanessa Joy Facebook Event
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