For their performance tonight in Memorial Hall, the UNC Symphony Orchestra will perform three pieces that will transport listeners to Finland, an eerie island and even Rome.
The performance includes Jean Sibelius’ “Karelia Suite,” Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Isle of the Dead” and Ottorino Respighi’s “Pines of Rome.”
The first piece, “Karelia Suite,” is about a region in southeastern Finland, said Tonu Kalam, the orchestra’s conductor.
ATTEND THE CONCERT
Time: 7:30 p.m. today
Location: Memorial Hall
Info: music.unc.edu
Sibelius was inspired by that part of the country and worked to reflect it in his music.
Violinist Emma Harver said she can hear the origins of the piece when it is played.
“To me it sounds Finnish,” Harver said.
“Isle of the Dead” is an evocative and mysterious arrangement, Kalam said. Rachmaninoff, a Russian composer, based the piece on a painting by the same name.
“It’s a very spooky piece,” Kalam said.
The final and most recognizable song is “Pines of Rome” by Respighi, an Italian composer. It was created to depict different scenes in the city of Rome, Kalam said.
Harver said this is her favorite piece of the performance because of the style and the strong ending.
“It’s exciting to play and exciting to listen to,” Kalam said.
All three pieces were chosen by Kalam. When choosing music for the orchestra, he said that it is important to please all constituencies involved — members of the orchestra, the audience and his own musical taste.
“A great program is analogous to a great meal. You want the whole concert to be satisfying,” Kalam said. “They use the orchestra very colorfully. Each of the three pieces paints a different mood for the listener.”
While students might prefer to study or finish schoolwork tonight, some orchestra members feel the performance will be a benefit to students.
Admission is $10 for students, faculty and staff and $15 for the general public.
“The cost might deter some students from coming,” Harver said. “But it’s a great way to soak up some culture and see what your fellow students can create.”
Likewise, Kalam said he believes it is important for people to be exposed to live music.
As current technology further consolidates music, fewer people are attending live performances, which provide a different characteristic to the music, he said.
“It’s quite a different and overwhelming experience,” Kalam said. “You feel it. You can almost touch it in the air.”
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
