Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra Presents Final Concert of Season Featuring Student Concerto Competition Winners

The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra is set to close out another successful season of shows on June 5th at the Music Hall in Portsmouth. In celebration, the PSO will be presenting works by Strauss, Sibelius, Lalo, and Pierne. The later two selections will feature winners of the annual Student Concerto Competition. This year’s winners were Ruth Swope (violin), and Caroline Mellot (harp). The Student Concerto Competition falls in line with their mission to combine education with performance with continued work with area schools and students.

Other elements of the day include the customary pre-performance discussion at 2pm, which gives historical and personal perspectives on the pieces of music the audience is about to hear. There will also be an “instrument petting zoo” for parents who bring children, enabling the youth to get hands on exposure to the instruments that will be played onstage.

Back to the musical portion of the afternoon:

“Richard Strauss is basically the John Williams of the 19th Century,” said PSO Music Director and Conductor John Page. “I don’t think anyone at that time was on his level. He could set anything to music. His work was very film-score-ish. He thought thematically and very visually… very graphically. The piece we’re performing, ‘Till Eulenspiegel’ is a just a romp. It sets itself virtuoso playing and a fantastic story. It’s very fun, but really hard to pull off.

On the other hand, thematically, ‘Symphony No. 5’ by Jean Sibelius is the polar opposite. It’s an extremely accessible piece. It’s romantic. It’s a piece people love, but it’s very, very different than ‘Till Eulenspiegel.’ Chronologically the two pieces are not that far apart (about 20 years), but they’re from a whole different place – a whole different world. For Sibelius it came from a moment of inspiration fueled by a flock of majestic birds (swans) flying over his head. It’s about shapes, and colors, landscape, and nature. It’s not like looking at a painting; it’s like watching the real thing changing over time. It’s an amazing experience.

After intermission we’ll place the focus on the fabulous student concerto winners. There are always so many great student players that enter that competition. We’re all about giving opportunities to as many players as possible. This year we chose a harpist, – who does a fantastic job showing off the celestial instrument the harp is, and a violinist who will be adding young emotional depth to the piece she’s featured in. It’s going to be a great season finale!”

About the PSO: Founded in 1997, The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra is comprised of over 65 local professionals, educators, dedicated amateurs, and advanced students, with the mission of contributing high quality symphonic music to the Seacoast community.

For additional information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.portsmouthsymphony.org, The Music Hall Box Office, or call 603-436-2400.