The UTC Symphony Concert Season begins Thursday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Roland Hayes Concert Hall, UTC Fine Arts Center, located at Palmetto and Vine Streets. The music of Beethoven, Saint-Saens, Mozart and Sarasate will be presented. Sara Vendsel, Covenant College Violin Instructor, will be featured. There is no admission charge, and the public is invited.
Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture” will be presented. “Egmont Overture” was inspired by Goethe’s story of the triumph and tragedy of the noble Count of Egmont in his struggle to the death to retain liberty for the Netherlands under threat of 16th century Papal oppression. Courtly Saraband themes develop into musical narratives to a thunderous emotional climax.
Saint-Saens “ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for Violin and Orchestra in A Major op 28”- a rare technical showpiece written for his composer friend, Pablo de Sarasate a virtuoso violinist of magnificent proportions– features fanciful syncopation and chromatic inflection with wild arpeggios and a flamboyant showcase “Coda.”
Mozart’s Divertimento No. 2 Articulated as a sprightly musical diversion in several movements, the piece presents a break for full orchestra and profiles a chamber group of one flute, oboe , bassoon and four horns with a magical horn quartet and strings.
Pablo de Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen” – Sarasate’s signature spectacular piece – a complexity of imposing virtuosic majesty, melancholic yet punctuated by impossible runs and intricate figures showcasing the gifts of highly developed violinists.
Jooyong Ahn is Director of Orchestras and Professor of Conducting at UTC. His orchestra is made up of auditioned UTC music and non-music majors with some exceptional area high school students.
Soloist Sarah Vendsel a student of James Buswell joined the Covenant College Music faculty in 2005 shortly after receiving Master’s degree in Violin Performance from The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. She holds the Bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and has been a guest performer with orchestras in her native Texas – Dallas, Garland, Arlington, Fort Worth, with recitals in Dallas, Boston, Chicago, and London and recently in Chattanooga. She participates in solo and chamber music festivals and has held summer faculty positions in Dallas, Texas, Oberlin, Ohio, South Bend, Indiana. She has played for renown pedagogues and artists including members of the Borromeo and Juilliard quartets, Bayla Kayes, Patinka Kopec, Yair Kless, Paul Kartz, Jaime Laredo, Ida Kavafian, Donald Weilerstein, Pamela Frank and Midori.
Vendsel was named 2003 winner of the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate String Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah. She teaches at “Covenant College”and also maintains a private studio at Cadek Conservatory, affiliated with UTC and holds the violin chair at Chattanooga Symphony and Opera. She performs on an 1888 J.B. Collin-Mezin violin.
For more information, visit www.utc.edu/music, or call the Department of Music at 423-425-4601. Jooyong Ahn can be reached by email jooyong-ahn@utc.edu or phone, 423-425-4614.
