Conducted by Christian Smith, the BYU Symphony Orchestra will perform a wide variety of pieces in the de Jong Concert Hall
The BYU Symphony Orchestra will present a concert on March 28, performing the world premiere of a composition by a BYU student alongside pieces by French composer César Franck and renowned film composer Nino Rota.
Commercial music major Brian Casey Lee’s collection of orchestral tone poems is titled “Pale Blue Dot Suite,” named after the famous photo of Earth taken by Voyager 1 in 1990. Lee’s intent for the piece was to “explore the interactions we have with our pale, blue dot.” The Symphony Orchestra will perform the first two movements of the suite.
“In the first movement titled ‘Scuba Diver,’” Lee explained, “two textures compete with one another: above water and below water, represented by sudden shifts in range and timbre. To me, the ocean is both beautiful and hostile. This is experiential music, documenting the transition from our world to the alien world that exists beyond our coasts.
“The second movement, ‘Manta Ray Passing Over a Dying Reef,’ is the meat of the piece. I originally wanted to write a funeral dirge that chastised humans for coral reef destruction. But as I was writing, I kept thinking about how scrappy and persevering nature can be, despite our negative impact. This movement features a range of emotions, from childlike wonder to devastation. It is a love ode to the biome beneath the waves.”
Symphony Orchestra conductor Christian Smith said, “Brian has done a great job with this piece and I think the audience will be delighted by both the beauty and innovation of his writing.”
The orchestra will also perform Nino Rota’s “Divertimento Concertante for Double Bass and Orchestra.” Rota is best known for his award-winning film scores, the most famous being “The Godfather,” “The Godfather Part II” and Franco Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Eric Hansen, professor of bass, will join the orchestra as a featured double bass soloist on the piece.
“Professor Hansen is a wonderful musician,” Smith said, “and it will be a pleasure to work with him in presenting this piece by one of the most prolific movie composers of all time.”
The centerpiece of the concert will be “Symphony in D Minor” by César Franck which Smith says is “Without a doubt, Franck’s best-known orchestral work, and is a symphonic staple from the Romantic era.”
Tickets and Show Details
Performance Dates and Times: March 28 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: de Jong Concert Hall, Franklin S. Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU
Price: $7
Tickets: Available in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com