‘Winds of Change’ revives the past in Brubeck Theatre

Palomar’s first symphony orchestra concert of the season, “Winds of Change,” brought mixed emotions to this music buff.

Before the show began there was a brief 45 minute conservation in the lobby of the Howard Brubeck Theatre that discussed the different instruments the symphony orchestra would be playing.

Once underway, the symphony orchestra opened with “America the Beautiful,” which was played with percussion, woodwinds, brass, a vocalist, and string instruments.

The song was good, but the vocalist sang in an opera style, making it somewhat hard to understand the lyrics. I think the song would have been better had it been sung in a more understandable style.

The next song performed was W.A. Mozart’s “Clarinet Concerto”. Robert Zelickman, a clarinetist, was the soloist for the piece. The tune required a lot of talent to play, and the orchestra played every note perfectly. Zelickman nailed his solo, making the song very impressive to listen to.

The next song played was titled “Suite of Old American Dances,” written by Robert Russell Bennett, and the orchesta was joined on stage by Palomar’s contemporary dance ensemble.

“Suite of Old American Dances” had a different sound to it than Mozart’s “Clarinet Concerto.” This piece showcased many different instruments, and the sound of the drums rattled the walls as the percussionist banged on the bass drum during each chorus. Having the percussion section made the song sound better than the ones prior because it was loud instead of soft. The rhythm also sounded better than “Clarinet Concerto,” although it wasn’t as impressive to listen to since it didn’t feature a soloist.

Following a long applause, the composer gave a bow before turning back around and directing the musicians to get ready for the final song of the night: Anton Dvorak’s “Slavonic Dances Op. 46.” The percussion section mostly played during the chorus, while the woodwinds, brass, and string instruments played throughout the entire song.

“Slavonic Dances Op. 46” was much louder and easier for me to focus on than a softer piece. The use of percussion was most prevalent during the chorus, which drew my attention into the song.

After the song came to a close the audience and I rose to our feet, giving a hearty final round of applause.