March 4, 2022

I’m still riding high from last night’s fabulous concert of the Lansing Symphony's Chamber Players at the Robin Theater in Lansing’s REO town. I didn’t conduct this one, just got to sit back and enjoy the evening.
 
It was all music of today…the oldest composer was Bartok, otherwise they were all living and breathing. Two of the composers were actually living and breathing at the concert, David Biedenbender and Zhou Tian. LSO’s Composer in Residence Patrick Harlin was living and breathing at the concert too. We closed the program with an arrangement of his.
 
Along with Bartok, we did Zhou’s fabulous “Viaje” for piano, flute and cello. Zhou shared a beautiful introduction that brought us right into the world of his piece.  The players brought it to life with all its brilliance, passion and energy…fabulous music, fabulously played.
 
Dave then told us a bit about his work “Spending the Night,”a duet for flute and clarinet, and then introduced Robert Fanning, who’s poem inspired the music. After Robert’s powerful reading of his poem, a heart-wrenching memory of the passing of his sister, the audience was primed emotionally for Dave’s musical reflection. The combination of the two works was profoundly moving…not a dry eye in the house.
 
Music of Jesse Jones, Adolphus Hailstork and Piazzolla followed and the sold-out house ate it all up. We had an overwhelmingly positive response to this concert of contemporary music, and I can’t wait until the next one…April 7th if you are going to be around.
 
The Robin Theater is a perfect venue for this kind of concert. There is a bar right next door, so patrons can grab a beverage and bring it in. The hall is intimate, with beautiful acoustics, so the performance has the kind of immediacy that makes live music “live.”
 
Congratulations to all involved!!

NEXT UP
 
Lansing Symphony Orchestra
Conrad Tao, piano
Wharton Center for the Performing Arts
East Lansing, Michigan
March 19, 2022
7:30 p.m.
 
POULENC        Suite Francaise
HAYDN            Symphony No. 90
MOZART          Piano Concerto in C minor, K. 491

#lansingsymphony #davidbiedenbender #zhoutian #robintheater #robertfanning