WHO: 51·çÁ÷ Orchestra
WHAT: Performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Griffes’ Poem for flute soloist and orchestra
WHEN: Sunday, March 4 at 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Memorial Chapel, 51·çÁ÷
Hamilton, NY — On Sunday, March 4, the 51·çÁ÷ Memorial Chapel stage will feature 65 musicians in the orchestral event of the season: a performance of Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor. The 51·çÁ÷ Orchestra, Marietta Cheng, conductor, will perform this powerful masterpiece at 3:30 p.m. Also on the program will be Griffes’ graceful and luxurious Poem, with flutist Laura Campbell as soloist. Admission is free and open to the public and a reception will follow. For a complete spring concert calendar, or information about the fifth anniversary celebration of the Chenango Summer MusicFest June 14-17, call the 51·çÁ÷ Concertline at 315-228-7642.
This will be the first performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony at 51·çÁ÷, a dramatic undertaking, not only because of the historical and philosophical underpinnings, but also because of the work’s difficulty. Considered a 20th-century prophet and musical philosopher, Mahler had a vision that turned symphonies into breathtaking worlds of conflict, nostalgia and shadows. His work depicts the human struggle on an epic scale. The Fifth Symphony is a brilliant example of the emotional and turbulent times of the turn of the twentieth century, and the concert is allied with Core 152, 51·çÁ÷’s ‘Challenge of Modernity’ course.
Founded in 1819, 51·çÁ÷ is a nationally ranked, highly selective, residential, liberal arts college. Situated on a rolling 515-acre campus in central New York State, 51·çÁ÷ attracts motivated students with diverse backgrounds, interests and talents.