By Mackenzie Prince
The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center continued celebrating its 25th season with a performance from the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 27.
Conducted by David Neely, the director of orchestral studies and professor of conducting for the school of music, the student orchestra performed Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, a 30-minute piece known for its grand, lyrical style. Students attended eight rehearsals in four weeks, losing a week of practice to inclement weather.
“Students are often [exploring] the pieces that we are playing for the first time,” Neely said. “We are making discoveries over the rehearsal period: how to play better, how to sound better [and] and how to unlock what’s in the music.”
Neely said one of the greatest challenges when selecting musical pieces is ensuring that each instrument family is showcased. The UMD Symphony Orchestra – solely made up of students in the UMD school of music – features 15 different instruments: violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion and harp.
With this piece specifically, Neely said he enjoyed watching each student take on the challenge and succeed.
“Every musician will say Mozart is the ultimate challenge. It’s right on the line [and you can’t] hide anything,” Neely said. “Over the past few weeks, I really discovered the enthusiasm…and the readiness of the students to go on that journey. I thought they did a really polished and expressive performance.”
The performance also featured this university’s Concerto Competition 2024 winner, Lisa Yejin Choi. Choi is in her fourth year of the Doctor of Musical Arts program at UMD.
Choi began playing the flute in the fourth grade. Despite her years of experience, Choi said she still gets nervous when performing competitively.
“It’s a love-hate relationship with competitions,” Choi said. “Right before [I] go in, I’m like “why am I doing this to myself?,” but [then] I think of the excitement and the energy I get when I perform on stage, and share great music with the audience.”
Choi performed Joan Tower’s “Flute Concerto,” a 15-minute piece mainly highlighting the flutist. While she originally competed with this piece as a solo, the UMD Symphony Orchestra accompanied her performance at the concert – an “incredible” experience, according to Choi.
“This piece is definitely the most challenging piece I have ever played in my life,” Choi said. “Playing with the orchestra actually made me love it more.”
“Each of The Clarice’s partners have been part of its 25th anniversary celebration, showcasing the boundless creativity on campus and helping drive positive change,” wrote Rebecca Calkin, the Clarice’s director of marketing and communications, in an email on March 4. “It allows audiences to experience the high quality performances from our students and to have a moving and powerful arts experience.”
Choi’s performance was included in the Clarice’s “American Stories” performance series through highlighting an American composer, Joan Tower. Calkin said the Clarice will continue to showcase student artists, which Neely believes is fundamental to UMD’s campus culture.
“Our art form can be as irrelevant or relevant as we want to make it,” Neely said. “I’m convinced that an audience recognizes when something is important [and] when it’s authentic… we perform the things that continue to speak to people.”
Featured Image: The UMD Symphony Orchestra performed Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on Feb. 27. Photo by Mackenzie Prince.