1st Professional Orchestra In HoCo Combines Music With Movement

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The only professional orchestra in Columbia will be performing a July 31 concert at the Chrysalis at Merriweather Park. As the first of its kind in the area, Movement in Music Ensemble's musical members play pieces entirely from memory and execute them paired with choreographed movements, explained founder Melanie Kuperstein.

Their upcoming performance was inspired by similar concerts hosted by the University of Maryland's orchestra. Kuperstein and other musicians in the orchestra actually attended the University of Maryland. As a violinist, Kuperstein has played since she was 5 years old, so for 25 years. Kuperstein has lived in Howard County for almost a decade and shares her musical talents as a private educator to 40 area students.

"I grew up in a musical family with both my parents being professional violinists. My dad plays with the Baltimore Symphony. I play and teach a little bit of viola and piano as well, but violin is my primary instrument," she told Patch.

Fans of classical music will enjoy seeing these songs performed in a new manner with a visual accomplishment.

"We try to tell a story with our choreography - it won't be really obvious since we aren't doing costumes or any formal staging but you can use your imagination to try and create the story as it unfolds on stage. It's a great summer concert for anyone to enjoy," Kuperstein said.

Several of the new ensemble participated in the movement projects at the University of Maryland under the direction of artistic director, James Ross. He brought in choreographer Liz Lerman to work with the college students on movement, which is not the same as dance.

"The difference is that you don't need any special skills to do it; almost anyone can do movement and we created the choreography ourselves with her guidance based on what instruments we played and what kind of moving around we were each able to do," Kuperstein explained. "This is our first concert so I can't say how energetic it will be but for this first concert, we're starting with 10 musicians, string players, but the goal is to make it a much larger orchestra with winds/brass/percussion in the future. It won't be quite as big and exciting as the UMD programs right away, but it will be entertaining and it will lay the groundwork for this new orchestra."

This type of upcoming performance involves constant movement on stage. Kuperstein described the performances from her college years as unlike anything she's experienced.

"I remember being in my final pose and the house lights coming down to complete darkness, and the complete silence before the uproar of applause and thinking that this is the only thing I ever want to do for the rest of my life. It was such an incredible and unique experience that I think everyone should get to see," Kuperstein said.

While her college orchestra had ample time to rehearse, the professionals in this new ensemble must memorize pieces on their own at home and practice movements together.

"When we did this project at UMD, we had several rehearsals and we were able to do a lot of the memorizing during rehearsal. We started out in unusual orchestra set-ups, like in a giant circle or in a serpentine, and gradually moved away from the music stand, usually doing small sections of the piece at a time. In a professional setting, we get much less rehearsal time. Everyone does it a little differently, but for the most part, if you play something enough times, you will commit it to memory," Kuperstein said.

Tickets are free for children age 12 and under but the concert really is for all ages, she said.

"This is such a unique experience and you probably will not have the opportunity to see it anywhere else. This is not a thing that most professional orchestras can do. Existing orchestras have contracts and long-time members that they cannot ask to do memorization and movement. If you are someone who isn't normally a fan of classical music, this would be a great concert for you to get into it. It's still the same traditional music but getting the visual effect brings the music to life and creates a really incredible experience," Kuperstein said.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.movementinmusic.com.