What a musical adventure I had Saturday night, Oct. 16, at South
Valley Symphony’s program at Gavilan College Theater.
I had the good fortune to grow up in the shadow of classical
music at home and at work. I play no instrument, I cannot carry a
tune even if it had a bucket handle on it, yet music plays a vital
role in my life.
Dear Editor,
What a musical adventure I had Saturday night, Oct. 16, at South Valley Symphony’s program at Gavilan College Theater.
I had the good fortune to grow up in the shadow of classical music at home and at work. I play no instrument, I cannot carry a tune even if it had a bucket handle on it, yet music plays a vital role in my life.
I have attended symphony concerts throughout the world: Concerts in London, Helsinki, Finland, Tokyo, Japan, New York City, Minneapolis, Minn., and San Francisco, so I know good music. I can truthfully say that Saturday’s concert was a gem of unsurpassed beauty.
We had two very talented local artists on the program. First there was Beverly Oliver-Blount, normally the concertmaster, but this night she was a soloist with her violin playing Vaughn William’s “The Lark Ascending,” and by means of that violin, that lark ascended. In fact, it soared: Up, up. Had there not been a roof on the auditorium, it would have ascended to Heaven’s doorstep. She got a standing ovation from the enthusiastic and admiring crowd.
After intermission, we were treated to a second local artist, Maria Amirhanian – born in Russia, trained in St. Petersburg and residing in Gilroy.
She played Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and played it flawlessly. I was fortunate to have a seat where I could observe her delicate hands with dancing fingers traversing the ivory keyboard with the speed of lightening and the precision of nanotechnology.
Out from under the sound board of nine-foot Steinway concert piano came the most melodious notes and tones, each note more beautiful than the last – evoking emotions of joy and gladness as never before.
I found myself saying a silent prayer; “Please, God, don’t let her playing stop this night.”
To better understand the recital, one should know that Rachmaninoff, at the time of his composing of the piece, was recovering from a year-long depression under the care of a psychiatrist. In Concerto No. 2, he bared his soul and described musically all his emotional turmoil. It was his finest composition, and in Maria’s playing and through her body motions, one could see her emotional involvement with the music. She played to perfection, as did the orchestra under the baton of Henry Mollicone.
I looked around the audience and noted a few too many empty seats. The concert should have been standing room only at the box office. Now, fine productions like Rachmaninoff”s Concerto No. 2 do not arise spontaneously. They are the result of hard work on the part of many. I take my hat off to Al Navaroli and his crew; they, too, performed beautifully!
Folks, the next concert is Dec. 18th at Gavilan College – note in on your calendar!
J.G. McCormack, Gilroy
