2008 Woodie Awards
Virtuosity Abounds: Pianist Wows Audience
Kathy Arellano
Issue date: 3/16/05 Section: Valley Life
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In a burgundy-bejeweled gown, Hae-Sun Pope effortlessly transported her audience aloft on the wings of Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, accompanied by the nearly 60-member Valley Symphony Orchestra in "Virtuosity," the symphony's first concert of the season at Valley College's Mainstage Theater, Saturday.
Pope, widely known at Valley for her quiet demeanor and patient, perfect piano support for vocal classes, is a class-of-'75 Valley alumnus now completing her Master of Music degree at Cal State Northridge.
The evening opened with Hungarian Fantasy No. 2, a romantic body of music familiar to many, wearing Liszt's thematic trademark of innovative, romantic movements, spiced with a liberal dose of folk music elements. The orchestra flawlessly executed the sudden mood changes from sensual to raucous and demonstrated a professional-level mastery.
The final element of the concert was Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Opus 100, a dramatic symphony and one of the major orchestral pieces of the 20th century, which carried the enthusiastic audience on a turbulent ride through sometimes unconventional, powerful movements.
Concertgoers can look forward to two more exciting symphonies this season.
The first is a celebration of the music of Beethoven and Brahms entitled, "Two Killer B's" and which features VSO's concertmaster Sharon Cooper and conductor Robert Chauls, along with L.A. Philharmonic cellist Stephen Custer. This chamber music concert is scheduled for April 10 at 5 p.m.
"Happy Birthday Brahms" will be the final event in the VSO series, featuring L.A. Philharmonic violinist Mitchell Newmann and is scheduled for May 8.
Watch for more concert information, including ticket details, in upcoming issues of The Valley Star's Valley Life section.
