Anthony Holland said the following to describe last Saturday’s musical event: “Imagine if the opposing football coach came and worked with your team for a week.” In any sport, you typically wouldn’t have an opposing coach work with your players, but that’s exactly what happened at the U’s School of Music when conductors from other collegiate music programs mentored students from the U orchestra.
On Saturday, Holland acted as guest conductor for the U Philharmonia performance, a concert showcasing the College Orchestra Directors Association 2013 International Composition Competition.
Each year, the competition invites college students from around the country to submit original compositions. This year, the contest’s top five pieces were performed here at the U.
The program began with the two pieces that did not place in the top three. Although they did not place, they were still praiseworthy pieces.
The first of the two works performed was “Festival Overture,” composed by Jianjun He and conducted by BYU conductor Kory Katseanes. It was a roaring piece filled with heroic and cinematic melodies.
The second performance of the day was “Dervish,” a haunting work written by Justin Merritt and conducted by Holland, a Skidmore College resident. The composition was an intense and mysterious descent into madness.
Afterwards, the prize-winners were announced and then played. Suspense filled the concert hall as not even the orchestra knew what piece they would play next.
Taking third prize and winning $500 was “Big Rip,” composed by Michael-Thomas Foumai and conducted by Robert Baldwin, U director of orchestral activities and graduate studies at the School of Music. Inspired by the Big Bang, it played a violent explosive crescendo.
Taking second prize and winning $1,000 was “Tragedy Tomorrow,” composed by Michael Gilbertson and conducted by the University of Arizona’s Thomas Cockrell. In memory of George Gershwin, “Tragedy Tomorrow” musically portrayed New York City in the 1920s.
Winning the $2,500 first prize and the ability to perform 30 concerts around the country was “Song Of Eternity.” Composed by Mark Dal Porto and conducted by Utah State University’s Sergio Bernal, the piece was based on an old Chinese poem that describes the various stages of life and how life continues after death. It was altogether melancholic, romantic and beautiful.
After the talents hit the stage, Baldwin expressed what it meant to have the final round of competition take place at the U.
“I had heard great things from Baylor University, where it was last hosted. I thought it would be great to have a regional presence between the schools these other conductors are from,” Baldwin said.
Although these conductors represent different schools, there is no sense of rivalry between them, and that’s something they are proud of.
“You wouldn’t have the BYU football coach come and train your team for a week, but it’s a lot of fun for us conductors to work with each others’ orchestras,” Baldwin said.
Other participants conveyed the same sentiments.
“Students would like to find that collision, but it doesn’t exist between conductors. It’s a lot of fun to be here and work with another school’s orchestra,” BYU conductor Katseanes said.
The Utah Philharmonia students only had a week to prepare each piece, and the conductors speak very highly of the students’ achievement.
“The students had two days of reading the music, then the conductors showed up on Thursday. Everyone had a really great work ethic. I thought it was an important learning process for them, because the way we approached this was much like a regular concert in the professional world would be prepared for,” Baldwin said.
Holland agrees with Baldwin and believes that the skills the students are developing are integral to succeeding in a world outside of college.
“It’s all about working hard and working fast. This is a really remarkable orchestra here at the University of Utah. To accomplish what they have in a week is remarkable and speaks a lot for their musical program.” Holland said.