DEARBORN, Michigan – Under the baton of Conductor Kypros Markou, the Dearborn Symphony’s 51st season climaxes with a snappy, upbeat program, full of passion, color, and triumph on Friday, May 3 at Dearborns’ Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. The concert begins at 8 pm following an insightful and humorous free preview of the evening’s music at 7 pm by Jim Walters, a musician and Dearborn music teacher. Tickets ranging from $15 to $30 (student $10) in balcony, box and lower level are available by phoning the Symphony at 313-565-2424 or at the theater box office at 313-943-2354. Visit dearbornsymphony.org for more information. Contact the Symphony office for group discounts.
Beethoven’s spirited 1st Symphony that heralded the dawn of a new musical era, opens the program. He completed the piece in 1800 during the time when he was the happiest, just 30, and dazzling Vienna with his unique and extraordinary talents as a composer and piano virtuoso. The Symphony begins slowly and gracefully and progresses with dynamic contrasts to provide energy and drama. Vibrant throughout, a dramatic fanfare and brief pause bring Beethoven’s First symphony to an exhilarating conclusion.
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This concert is the orchestra’s annual celebration of youth. A perennial favorite, for those who haven’t attended before, don’t be fooled by the moniker “youth,” that features the two winners of the Dearborn Symphony’s Youth Artists Solo Competition. This very competitive and prestigious competition that was held this year at Evola Music in Canton, is intended to discover, recognize and encourage youth with exceptional musical talent in Southeastern Michigan who study classical music. Contestants pay an application fee to compete for this much sought-after award, and are judged by principals from the Dearborn Symphony, members of the Detroit Symphony, and music educators. In addition to a monetary prize, the winners are invited to solo with the Dearborn Symphony. Several past winners are now on world tours as major talents.
Anna Mieczkowski
At this year’s competition, Anna Mieczkowski, violin, and Heather Shen, piano amazed the judges as they played with passion and skill far beyond their years. The competition was funded in part by generous support from Janet and William Leslie and Anne and Donovan Bakalyar. The winner’s cash awards are generously funded by the Frank and Mary Padzieski Trust and Anina and Ben Bachrach.
Anna, 15, studies with Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy, Associate Concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony. She is a homeschooled tenth grader, the fifth of ten children who all study musical instruments. Anna will perform the first two movements of Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, based on Scottish fiddle tunes. Made famous by Jascha Heifetz, Scottish Fantasy is a standard in the repertoire of most concert violinists.
Heather Shen
Heather Shen, 17, studies with Logan Skelton at the University of Michigan. She is winner and finalist of many competitions, including 2012 semi-finalist in the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition Senior Division. Heather will perform the 1st movement of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1. Kenneth C. Viant describes the Concerto as “…a bold and daring work, both stormy and dramatic, tender and lyrical, and filled with youthful passion and relentless power.”
In keeping with the Dearborn Symphony’s annual Salute to Youth, the Dearborn Youth Symphony will join the Dearborn Symphony to perform Holst’s “Jupiter” from his grand orchestral suite, “The Planets.” The Greeks knew of seven planets, thus Holst’s suite is composed of seven movements, each named for a planet and based on the astrological and psychological associations they represent in Greek mythology. The most popular movement, “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” evokes both a sense of fun and, according to Holst, “…the more ceremonial type of rejoicing associated with religious or national festivities.”
The concert ends with Sibelius’ rousing Finlandia. An internationally recognized appeal to defy oppression, the music journeys from growling repression at the opening, through energetic striving for freedom to the joyful and triumphant hymn of celebration at the end!
The concert is funded in part by the Exchange Club of Dearborn.
Concert goers are reminded that if they subscribe to the Symphony’s 2013-14 season at the May 3 concert, they will receive a corsage courtesy of Ken Baron’s Florist and Gifts.
The Dearborn Symphony has partnered with local restaurants to offer a 20 percent diners’ discount for symphony ticket-holders on concert nights. Advance reservations are recommended at Andiamo Dearborn, Big Fish, Ciao, Double Tree Grille39, The Dearborn Inn, The Henry, Kiernan’s & Silky’s, La Pita, and Ollie’s.