By JUNE STODDARD Special to the Daily Press
Santa Monica High School students performed at their peak this past Sunday, earning several standing ovations from their crowd of supporters who packed into the Disney Concert Hall.
Those who were lucky enough to hear the Samohi Symphony perform at Disney Concert Hall were treated to a masterful performance. The symphony also became the first public high school orchestra ever invited to perform at the venue.
Many orchestra musicians find unique nuances performing together for decades or more. The musicians of the Samohi Symphony, founded 103 years ago, begin in fourth grade and, those enjoying this serious fun, continue to play in successive orchestras for the next eight years. Orchestra becomes their team sport.
Early last year, the Samohi Symphony applied to the LA Philharmonic Association to perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall in their “Sounds About Town Series,” which nurtures premier youth orchestras. After follow-up calls, they were invited to test the new shell at the Hollywood Bowl. Though the test occurred the day after prom night, as technicians raised and lowered the ceiling working on sound levels, LA Philharmonic decision makers were listening and soon extended an offer to Samohi to perform in this season.
Joni Swenson, Samohi Orchestra director, chose pieces reflecting the series theme “Sounds About Town.” The concert began as any other — first half concertmaster, violinist Tracey Tan, tuned up the musicians, then conductor Swenson, came onto the stage. On the downbeat of the baton, the Samohi Symphony announced their debut at Disney Hall with Procession of the Nobles from “Mlada” by Rimsky- Korsakov. The brass section paraded with a rousing flourish, escorted by the strings processional music. The youthful, bold energy of the musicians matched the “Mlada’s” bravado.
Next came Mahler’s Adagietto from Symphony No. 5, conducted by guest conductor and mentor to Swenson, Vince Gomez. Lush, sensuous sound reverberated throughout the hall. String musicians bowed their instruments with soft, sustained, sonic precision growing to dizzying heights. Mahler made clear that he wanted performances to be soulful and played with the most heartfelt sentiment. A high school orchestra can play this piece with unique understanding and depth, and Samohi succeeded in doing so.
A sure crowd pleaser, Gershwin’s An American in Paris, ended the first half.
The French horn section, portraying taxis, led by Devon Pratt; the blues trumpets led by David Litwak; tuba solo by Aaron Perlman, with full orchestra, danced us along this delightful romp through Paris and earned a standing ovation.
Second half concertmaster, violinist ZeNan Chang, prepared the orchestra for their performance of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2, also called the “Little Russian.” This four-movement symphony was Tchaikovsky’s shortest. Variations on themes from Ukrainian folksongs can be heard throughout. Bassoonist Ilan Ben- Meir performed an impressive solo of the song variation “Down by Mother Volga,” echoed by plucked cellos and bases. This symphony’s creative harmonic progressions builds to an insistent finale announced repeatedly with expertise by Chris Parise on cymbals. His musicianship was challenged when the cymbals inverted upon one of his strong punctuations. After Parise and Alex Kim attempted to bend them back into place, he realized only a new pair would do justice to this symphony and went offstage to get some, promptly returning to a smashing finish. The audience responded with countless standing ovations.
This Santa Monica-Malibu School District music program has survived through decade after decade of state and federal budget cuts with support of the city and community of Santa Monica, and the Santa Monica Education Foundation. This orchestra is a well-kept LA secret.
The Samohi Symphony received first place at the national competition of the American String Teachers Association in the spring of 2005 and have traveled and performed extensively: Carnegie Hall, Prague, Vienna, Valencia/Spain, and their forthcoming tour. This April they will be traveling to China by invitation from the city of Hangzhou for a cultural exchange visit with the Hangzhou High School of Performing Arts. Highlights of their 10-day performance tour of China includes a public concert at the Red Star Theater in Hangzhou, plus exchange concerts at both the Beijing Conservatory in Beijing, and the Xinghai Conservatory in Guangzhou.
For more information, log onto http://www.samohiorchestra.org for more information.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 24, 2006. Read the original PDF.