By Eric McDonald
Utah Valley Symphony will treat local residents to pieces from American composers in ?A Celebration of American Music? Wednesday and Thursday.
After the presidential elections that caused conflict and disunion, Utah Valley Symphony President Karen Blalock thought it would be a good time to contribute to unity of the nation. Director Bryce Rytting wholeheartedly agreed. It was decided that the Utah Valley Symphony would perform several touching, thought-provoking pieces to remind Americans of the blessing of our freedom.
?We could have chosen a more martial program, like the ?Battle Hymn of the Republic,? instead I tried to choose music that would reach any American,? Rytting said.
The performance will open with the national anthem, and attendees are invited to sing along. The Utah Valley Symphony will also perform ?America the Beautiful,? Sousa?s ?Semper Fidelis,? Samuel Barber?s ?Adagio for Strings,? Leonard Bernstein?s overture to ?Candide,? and Howard Hansen?s Symphony No. 2, ?Romantic.?
Rytting said each of the songs has been chosen carefully to appropriately match the purpose of the performance. For example, ?Semper Fidelis? means ?always faithful.? The overture to ?Candide? represents the more rowdy side of America. ??America the Beautiful? is considered a second national anthem.
?Adagio tugs at the heart strings most to give us a moment to think about what America has cost and to remember those that have suffered in the cause of keeping our country free and protecting it,? Rytting said.
Aside from these patriotic hymns and American pieces, the performance will also premiere a cowboy poem set to original music by Provo composer Marden Pond. Jim Miller, a well-known Salt Lake City tenor who oversees the regional Metropolitan Opera auditions, will be the soloist in the nine minute piece.
The lyrics to Pond?s ?Ode to a Tougher Cuss? came from a folk text his father recited to him when Pond was a child. After receiving a Barlow Endowment, which offers a commission up to $20,000 to promising composers, Pond set the lyrics to music for its premiere in the 1997-98 symphony season. Unfortunately, the death of Clyn Barrus, who was to conduct the symphony, caused the piece to be set aside until now.
Marden Pond, who usually plays trumpet with the Utah Valley Symphony will be in the audience to hear the premiere of his work.
Pond, an adjunct faculty member at Utah Valley State College and conductor of the Nachtmusik Chamber Orchestra, has composed music in 14 recorded albums ? everything from string ensembles to jazz and innovative electronic music. Adding to his many commissions, Pond?s ?Let?s Roll? was recently commissioned by the 23rd Army Band and premiered over the Armed Forces Network.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Provo Tabernacle, 100 S. University Avenue. Admission at the door is $5 per person or $15 per family. Free parking is available at the NuSkin terrace.
