Pacifica Tribune 11
Pacifica Tribune Review of The San Francisco Concerto Orchestra's 2006 International Competition November 12, 2006 at Sanchez Concert Hall, Pacifica (published November 15, 2006)
Riding a Train of Musical Locomotion
By Jean Bartlett
Arts Correspondent
In the words of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff: “Please don’t miss that train at the station, ‘cause if you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you.” The San Francisco Concerto Orchestra Competitions have returned to Pacifica and hey, they will be here as well on Friday night November 17, 7:30 pm, Sanchez Concert Hall. What’s so special about this train? This train, run and produced by composer-pianist Seth Montfort, brings into town some of the most educated, innovative musicians of our time. Yes, I’m talking musicians with degrees that still know how to kick butt with the instrument that makes them sing. This competition is fun for them. They jump at the chance to win the opportunity to play the selection of their choice with The San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, not to mention the $1,000 grand prize for classical or $500 grand prize for popular. And believe me, these musicians throw out nothing but auditory fine to waiting audience members destined to vote.
Performing in Pacifica Sunday night: Elizabeth Gaston on flute; Kristina Soriano on piano; Barbara Sprung-Wilkes on piano; Lisa Thomas on piano and Kenn Gartner on piano. The program began with two pieces performed by flutist Elizabeth Gaston. The first piece was entitled: “Kokopeli” by living composer Katherine Hoover. This is the music of Indian legend borne by natural sound through mystery, smoky magic and dream calm. Gaston weaving a pattern of lovely phrasing and sophisticated technique, let the mood of the music frame her embouchure, sliding through notes, bending into phrases, climbing over sandstone cliffs through flutter and slur. Her palette of music was full, meditative. The second piece was by local composer David Subke. Written for the indigenous Japanese flute, the music begins on an arch and swirls its way through starry skies and rustling wind. Gaston on flute stirred and mesmerized with her warm, ethereal touch.
Pianist Kristina Soriano next introduced her first piece: “Comtine D'un Autre Ete: L'apres Midi” by French avant-garde composer Yann Tierson. The piece written for the film “Amalie” is unfussy, charming and full of autumn. Ms. Soriano’s piano presentation was merry-go-round waltz and Parisian concertina. Next Soriano played: “Sur le Fil” again by Tierson and again from “Amalie.” Soriano played chalky notes, hop-scotching through snowflakes and winter windows. Her left hand crossed over her right to accent the cool of the night. Bits of Spanish dance poured beneath her agile hands which easily switched to arpeggio and storm. Ms. Soriano’s last piece of the evening was “Prelude in C sharp minor” (Rachmaninov). Through foreboding descending chords, Soriano on masterpiece piano defined inspired gloom. The passages of notes are complex. The piece itself heads down towards the shadow where tenseness increases until it turns the corner towards its final driven mood. Within the piece there is powerful beauty and Soriano found every note and nuance.
Pianist Barbara Sprung-Wilkes introduced her two pieces: “Arabesque” by Robert Schumann and “Un Sospiro” by Franz Liszt. Both pieces are technically Olympian and emotionally intimate and Sprung-Wilkes kept
her sound, effortlessly serene throughout. “Arabesque” stretches its springboard of daring, immediate swirling runs colored and charged by heartfelt displacement into quiet narrative lines of reprieve. Pianist Sprung-Wilkes obviously loves the sound that Schumann makes for she floats the composers rippling stream of 16th notes like petals falling on a beautiful moment – a sensitive and impressive performance.
There is so much in composer Franz Liszt’s “Un Sospiro”: fiendish technique, feverish conviction, dramatic poetry defined by rapid crossing hands which near leap the keyboard only to rest on the very beat of the soul. Gifted, aware, attuned, pianist Sprung-Wilkes captured it all.
In 1838 and 1839, due to Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, the Cherokee nation was forced to relinquish its lands east of the Mississippi River and was marched to present-day Oklahoma. So many died. Sunday evening, pianist Lisa Thomas spoke of this tragic tale as she walked beside a Native American beating drum and climbed the stairs to the stage. She then sat down to the concert grand and played for us “The Trail Of Tears.” Deep drumming chords fell like darkened waters on thirsty hands. Each note was handcrafted and sewn in sorrow and Thomas’s fingering was intricate and finely wrought. The pianist then turned to high mountain flute and lifted the mood with “Love Call.” Eventually in this piece, Thomas laid her flute back down and played piano into the hush of morning rain. Then it was a return to flute and the piece arrived at full circle. Her tone on both piano and flute was rich and impressionistic. In “Cherokee Lullaby” the clear mezzo soprano of Ms. Thomas’s vocal revealed she can also sing.
Thomas also played “Indian Diary” a bit of piano Bartok and Chopin as if they had each known and ridden a saddle free, painted horse. She also offered up “The Thunder God And The Rainbow” which played like a fiery Gershwin on summertime piano.
Pianist Thomas has a formidable skill on piano, flute and vocal. She is able to easily change from one instrument to another and produce a wonderful mix of earth and sky. She is an important voice, and a beautiful voice with a message of music that must be shared.
Pianist Kenn Gartner filled the final performance spot of the evening and he began with a little inspirational cha cha cha of insight and musicality called the Bach minuet. Then Gartner strutted his piano stuff in a full-blown exceptionally listenable treatment of “Liebestraum” by Franz Liszt. “For Theresa” is most likely the real title of a Beethoven chart topper. However when the printer could not read the deceased Beethoven’s scrawl, he typeset “Für Elise” and the rest as they say is history. This piece which starts with a deceptively plaintive right hand theme appreciatively accompanied by left hand arpeggios soon works itself into a menacing theme set over a pedal point with flourishing arpeggios knocking on just about every door. In Gartner’s capable hands the audience is reminded the piece is famous because it deserves all the credit of any great work of art.
Plenty of aplomb, showmanship and glorious passagework met their indelible mark with Kenn Gartner’s piano presentation of the dramatic, exciting piece that is “Fire Dance” by Manuel de Falla y Matheu. Especially impressive was when Gartner would throw his hands up high in the air before landing them again on this legendary work. Wow! Putting his distinguished baritone to use; Gartner accompanied his piano with vocal on a rousing, melt-away version of Rudyard Kipling’s “On The Road To Mandalay” set to music by Oley Speaks. The evening was a wonderful expression of thrill and pleasure. Who could choose one winner?
Pacifica Tribune November 15, 2006