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Review of Southern Tier Symphony    --  By  Richard G. Frederick
October 2008

             The Southern Tier Symphony exultantly kicked off its 2008-2009 season before a packed house Saturday evening at the Olean High School Auditorium.   The program was decidedly modern, featuring works of the 20^th and 21^st Centuries. As the title “Made in America” suggests, the musical evening was given over to American composers, including John Whitney, the Symphony’s Music Director and Conductor, as well as his late father, Maurice Whitney.

            The evening began with an audience rendition of “America the Beautiful,” which Mr. Whitney promised would be echoed in the various works of composers during the performance. The opening number by the symphony provided one of the high points of a night of rarefied entertainment, the world premiere of “Enchanted Mountain Fantasy,” by Jacob Pleakis. An Olean native currently writing film scores in New York City, Pleakis created the first piece ever commissioned by the Southern Tier Symphony.

            The work opened quietly, with echoing sounds of wind swirling in the morning, followed by the statement of the main theme moving back and forth among the woodwinds, brass, and strings. It ended rather cinematically, with what the composer described as “an exciting and exuberant finish.”

            Mr. Pleakis was especially thrilled with the premiere occurring in his hometown, and lauded the Southern Tier Symphony for their “incredible” rendition of his work. He garnered two standing ovations, one following the premiere performance, and the second at the end of the evening when Mr. Whitney invited the composer to conduct a reprise of the piece as an encore.

            The following two selections were highly entertaining, but served to vary the program from its tumultuous beginning. Maurice Whitney’s “Variations on a Theme By Handel” was light and whimsical, featuring some fine clarinet/flute duet work as well as solos by the oboe and brass players. John Lloyd’s “A Hectic Overture” lived up to its name with a lively romp through the orchestra sections. I suspect this one was as much fun to play as to listen to.

            John Whitney’s “Coming of Age,” a 2003 commissioned work, was next on the program. The distinctive major theme raised thoughts of the Far West. It was tuneful and big – what Mr. Whitney calls “power music.” It was also full of surprises, such as “quotes” from well-known pieces and eclectic sounds from instruments like the wood block.

            The final piece before intermission was also written by a local composer, the Symphony’s timpanist, Moses Mark Howden. In “Trek to Gongga Shan,” Mr. Howden set out to demonstrate the merits of the timpani as a solo instrument. One cannot help but be impressed by his virtuosity on the large drums.

            The best known of the evening’s composers was featured after intermission. Joan Tower’s “Made in America” was commissioned by 28 orchestras and performed in all 50 states within two years of its premiere in 2005. Ms. Tower has artfully woven melodies from “America the Beautiful” throughout her 13-minute work. The middle of the piece included exciting, technically challenging, fast-paced playing from all sections of the orchestra before ending on a familiar note.

            James Beckel’s “The American Dream” was a brief and brassy piece meant for popular entertainment. It succeeded.

            “Sleep,” by Eric Whitacre brought on a chorus of about four dozen high-schoolers from five local schools. They performed the beautiful piece artfully, with the accompaniment of horns from the orchestra. They remained for the final number, an arrangement by Maurice Whitney entitled “From Sea to Shining Sea.” Following a rousing ovation, the audience was once again thrilled by the encore as noted above.

            The Southern Tier Symphony, now in its sixth season, has developed noticeably as a fine regional orchestra. Musicianship seems to have steadily grown within, and Mr. Whitney has offered more challenging pieces for the group’s audiences. He should also be lauded for his efforts to interest young listeners in the symphony. In addition to the choral feature, nine young musicians from Houghton College entertained audience members with pre-concert music as they entered the hall. Ably conducted by Brian Casey, the group performed “Mouvements Perpetuels” by Francis Poulenc.

            It is difficult to imagine a more varied and entertaining evening of good music anywhere between Buffalo and Pittsburgh.

Southern Tier Symphony “Fabulous” in
French Season Finale
May 2008  

The Southern Tier Symphony, under the artistic direction of conductor/founder John Whitney, triumphantly closed their fifth successful season this past weekend with a program of audience accessible gems by French composers entitled the “Fabulous French.”  The first of their two concerts was held on Saturday evening in the recently renovated Wesley Chapel on the Houghton College main campus. This reviewer was in attendance.  The concert was repeated on Sunday afternoon in the Olean High School Auditorium.

The program opened with the Rakoczi March from The Damnation of Faust by Hector Berlioz (1803-1869).  Described by Dr. Robert Debbaut in the concert program notes as an “orchestral tour de force in miniature,” its powerful use of orchestral colors and sheer energy proved to be the perfect opener for this enjoyable evening.  The glitteringly resonant string section and the punctuating brass especially served up a wonderful “appetizer” for all that was to follow.

The Symphony in D minor by Belgium born composer Cesar Franck (1822-1869), claimed by the French as one of their own due to the fact that he was schooled at the Paris Conservatory, is considered by many as his masterwork.   A standard in the orchestral repertoire, the chromatic harmonies and unusual modulations pose their share of challenges to any ensemble embarking on a performance of this magnificent work.  The performance was full of its intended Romantic drama as it was masterfully interpreted by Maestro Whitney.

The Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld by German born composer Jaccques Offenbach (1819-1880), who was also schooled at the Paris Conservatory, is from what is probably his most famous operetta.  Based upon a satire about Olympian gods, this light-hearted work is always a delight for listeners of all generations.  Among the most outstanding moments was the lyrical violin solo performed by concertmaster, Kim Whitney, as well as the exquisite cello solo played brilliantly by principal cellist, Bryan Eckenrode.  Two other individuals whose masterful, though less obvious, performances added to the zest and richness of this delightful overture were timpanist, Moses Mark Howden and Jim Caneen on tuba.

The final two pieces on the program were the Pavane for a Dead Princess and the classic Bolero, both by French impressionistic composer, Maurice Ravel (1875-1937).  Once again, Dr. Debbaut writes that though the title of the Pavane “suggests a somber subject, the work itself is rather wistful and airish, almost as if the spirit of the princess is dancing before your eyes.”   Adding to the sensitive performance by the entire ensemble of this delicate masterpiece were memorable passages played by principal flutist, Julia Tunstall and harpist, Elizabeth Munch.

Bolero was an exercise in instrumentation and sonority written during Ravel’s student years at the Paris Conservatory.  A full seventeen minutes in duration, it is based upon a Spanish dance form and consists of a single theme passed amongst the instruments of the orchestra, as a snare drum relentlessly punctuates the bolero rhythm.  Percussionist, Paul Haag deserves individual recognition for his steady and extraordinarily precise snare drum performance throughout the entire duration of the work.  This audience favorite gradually built to a tumultuous finale and an exultant climax to this pleasurable concert. 

 The Southern Tier Symphony continues to be one of the treasures of our region for which area residents should be exceedingly proud and supportive.  This reviewer hopes their presence will be heard on our various concert stages for a great many years to come. 

-  Gary Stith, reviewer
(email concert reviewer at gary.stith@houghton.edu)

Southern Tier Symphony “Premiere Pops” 
By RICHARD G. FREDERICK
Special to the Olean Times Herald
March 2008

    Fans of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Leroy Anderson, and the Lone Ranger were treated to an exciting evening of music Sunday by the Southern Tier Symphony.

    Now in its fifth season, the Olean-based symphony under the baton of John Whitney presented a program of light classics and familiar tunes.

    The evening began with a spirited romp through Rossini’s “William Tell Overture.” The opening was all cellos, followed by cascading violins, thundering brass, and woodwinds trilling, all leading up to trumpets sounding the familiar theme, and it’s off to the races!

    The second piece provided a contrast. Don Gillis’ “Short Overture to an Unwritten Opera” is a quirky short piece with a plethora of twists and turns. The orchestra paid homage to Leroy Anderson, whose birth centennial is celebrated this year, with two tunes — “Blue Tango” and “The Syncopated Clock.”  The first half of the program also included a Gershwin medley from “Porgy and Bess” and a “Salute to Cole Porter.” Both medleys were arranged by the talented conductor of the orchestra.

    The second half of “Premiere Pops” featured a special treat for lovers of what some commentators have labeled “America’s classical music” — jazz. Mr. Whitney, an award-winning jazz pianist, led a trio through “Second Time Around” and “Stella by Starlight.” Dan Hull, a veteran Buffalo-area drummer, and James Kurzdorfer, the original bassist with the popular jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra, rounded out the ensemble.

    The trio was also featured in the context of the orchestra in W.C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues March,” “Funky George,” a jazzed-up version of a familiar George Bizet theme, and the closing “Four Seasons Suite,” a David Wolpe arrangement for orchestra of four popular songs dealing with winter, spring, summer, and fall.

    That wasn’t all, of course. What is a pops concert without an encore? It would be like winter without snow in the Southern Tier.

    Mr. Whitney labeled the encore “The New York Fantasy.” Without giving away the secret of the finale, suffice it to say that it revealed another hitherto hidden talent of the evening’s maestro.

    The evening was full of surprises, and that should come as no surprise. The wonderful thing about a pops concert is that it’s supposed to be about unexpected themes and pleasant shocks of recognition. The music is never lugubrious but always light. The whole object is to have fun, and this extends to orchestra members as well as the audience.

    Of course, it helps to have great musicians in order to pull this off. And the Southern Tier Symphony has its share of those. The group has never sounded better.

    If the inclement weather kept you away from last evening’s performance, take heart. The same concert will be performed this afternoon at 3 p.m. in the Bromeley Family Theater on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Pack up Granny and the kids and attend. It is definitely fun for everyone.