There are any number of reasons why devotees of orchestral/concert music should attend a performance by Cleveland’s own Contemporary Youth Orchestra. Under the spirited leadership of the founder and music director, Liza Grossman, these young people not only play the traditional orchestral music with intelligence and passion, they also rock the orchestra!

Saturday night at CSU's Waetjen Auditorium, they celebrated their 10th anniversary season with a truly gala event—five world premieres and a pair of works that showcased two of their own. Four of the five new pieces were written by CYO members, two of them now studying composition at the college level and two current musicians. It was awesome. There is no other word to adequately describe the entire experience.

Explorations of the Human Psyche by Rachel Kincaid, now at the Eastman School of Music, led off the program. In three movements, Daydream, Nightmare and Reality, the music perfectly illustrated those concepts, whether ethereal in nature or brutally real. Her former musical partners gave it their all. And to think, this composer is not yet 20!

First of the two orchestra members to be featured in a solo was violinist Gina Ardillo as the piano soloist in the Piano Concerto No. 2 of Dmitri Shostakovich. Her long curly hair hanging down her back, and dressed in a long burgundy-colored gown, Ms. Ardillo had no difficulties whatever with this moto perpetuo composition. Her fingers blurred as they danced up and down the keyboard. Ms. Grossman was an involved collaborator, keeping her musicians steady as they played the tricky score.

Concertmaster Lavinia Pavlish was soloist in her own Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra. The 17-year-old had originally written it for violin and piano, but orchestrated it for this occasion. In her notes, she dedicated the piece to the people of Iraq, and indeed, during the nearly five minute composition one could clearly hear the turmoil and torment as well as the occasional tranquility of the inhabitants. It was an impassioned performance that would grace any stage, anywhere.

At this point, the stage was cleared of all but four chairs, and a carpet plus an array of percussion instruments was carefully arranged front and center. The four percussionists of the CYO then performed the work they had themselves created for the occasion — FUROR. Dan DiPiero, John Stuart Ely, Emily Parobek and Steve Peshek demonstrated both musical and theatrical flair in this work that utilized nearly a dozen examples of percussion instruments.

After intermission, cellist Cellist David Ellis was featured in a very polished performance of Schelomo (Hebrew Rhapsody for cello and orchestra) by former Clevelander Ernst Bloch. The long melodic lines were expertly brought to life by the big, burnished tone of Mr. Ellis and his cello. Again, Ms. Grossman conducted with sensitivity and authority.

Ryan Gallagher (the old man of the group at 22) is in his second year of composition studies at The Juilliard School in New York. Manhattan Dawn perfectly captures the brash and raucous street sounds of a new day in America’s largest city, as well as the all-too-brief interludes of peace and quiet. It’s brash and cheeky and misty in portrayals of traffic noise and church bells.

The finale — which brought a great many former members of CYO on stage, some with instruments and some without — plus the CYO Children’s Choir was a new version of Teach Your Children Well, by Graham Nash. There were even some brass players in the balcony on either side of the stage. When not actually playing, many of the orchestra members sang along with the chorus and audience in this feel-good final selection. A good time was had by all. Why weren’t you there?

For upcoming concert information, or to volunteer your services to help this most worthy cause, visit their website at http://www.cyorchestra.org You’ll be glad you did!
from Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriter@adelphia.net

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