CREATIVE COLLABORATION featuring Osmo Vanska, Charles Lazarus, Dean Sorenson April 28 2-19 @ 3:00p.m. Wayzata Community Church, 125 Wayzata Blvd E, Wayzata MN 55391 This will be Osmo Vänskä’s second appearance with WSO. He and I will play Mendelssohn Concertpiece for Two Clarinets and orchestra. Maestro Vänskä’s willingness to perform with a community orchestra speaks volumes about his devotion to the Twin Cities community. When he performed Mozart Concerto with us we learned that he is a ‘spirit above ego’ guy. He was the last one to leave the post-concert reception and posed for pictures with anyone who asked. Pachelbel’s Canon is familiar to everyone but many do not realize that it is a Canon AND a Theme and Variations. There are three violin parts plus a cello ostinato (8 notes that repeat 28 times throughout the entire piece). Three ballet dancers, each representing one of the violin parts, will give you a visual representation of the Canon and the Theme and Variations. Fire and Ice will be premiered at this concert. Dean Sorenson, Jazz Department Chair at the U of M was commissioned by the WSO to compose a piece for himself on trombone and Chuck Lazarus (MN Orch trumpet). It is a driving, highly rhythmic romp through jazz idioms. The middle section is gorgeous - soaring lines for the strings with woodwind and brass countermelodies. Above it all, Chuck and Dean impress with fast technique and improvisatory sections. If you love Brahms, you are in for a treat. Variations on a Theme by Haydn is a masterpiece of clever creativity - a Theme and 8 variations plus a Finale that makes my head spin because it includes 17 smaller variations. You have to hear it to believe it!
