NMSU Philharmonic performs music by Haydn, Bach, and Chilean composer Leng on Saturday
The NMSU Philharmonic has long been the orchestral ensemble for undergraduate and graduate music students to learn the repertoire, hone their techniques, play alongside professors, and be introduced to music they may not have encountered before. On Saturday, the musicians will do all of that in a concert featuring a symphony by Haydn, a concerto by J. S. Bach in which they’ll be joined by faculty soloists, and a string work by Chilean composer Alfonso Leng.
Cello professor Jorge Espinoza and violin professor Daniel Vega-Albela are co-leading the orchestra this year – as well as playing in it and with it. “One of the things we really want to do is to collaborate with as many of our very, very talented faculty members as we can,” Vega-Albela said in this interview with Espinoza and Intermezzo host Leora Zeitlin. He and oboe faculty Holly Dalager will be the soloists in the Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor by Bach, with the new piano professor, Jung-won Shin joining on harpsichord. Espinoza will support the ensemble by playing with the cello students.
Espinoza chose Haydn’s Symphony No. 52 in C minor for the program because, he said, “I think it’s really well-suited for what we’re trying to achieve with our students – teaching them concepts of dynamics, and virtuosity, and listening to each other. It’s such an energetic piece.” Espinoza also chose a short work by Alfonso Leng for the program.
The interview includes more information about the music, the composers, and about how the co-conductors work together. “It’s exciting to be working with youth, especially these kids who are so hungry, starving, to learn from string players,” Espinoza said. “And we love teaching – both of us – so I think they feel that. It’s really exciting for us, rewarding.”
The free concert takes place on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m. at the Atkinson Recital Hall.
Musical clips in the interview:
- Clips of the first and last movements of the Symphony No. 52 in C minor, by Joseph Haydn, performed by the Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood conducting (L’Oiseau-Lyre cd #443777);
- Second movement of the Concerto for Oboe, Violin, Strings, and Bass Continuo in C minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Simon Standage, David Reichenberg, and the English Concert, Trevor Pinnock conducting (Archiv cd #413731).