Weber Music Hall was wonderfully vibrant Saturday as the UMD Symphony Orchestra performed music from the colorful first decade of the 20th century, accompanied by art from students at Grant Elementary School and UMD.
A cross-generational audience, including many of the young artists, watched as words, drawings and photographs were projected above the stage as the orchestra performed "Pictures," the seventh annual "Story-Hour Concert" for families created by Maestro Jean "Rudy" Perrault.
The program's first half was led by Maestro Vladimir Stachinskiy, professor of conducting at the Petrozavodsk Conservatory. Comfortable on the podium, he showed a genuine rapport with the student musicians who responded warmly to his demands in three markedly different pieces by Claude Debussy, Anatole Liadov and Bela Bartok.
In Debussy's "Children's Corner," the various instruments in the orchestra offered a broad selection of sounds and tone colors, a major part of the evening's focus. While the orchestra played the six charming pieces, nearly 75 different drawings by Grant students were projected overhead. Drawings focused on the dolls, the snow, the lullaby, the little shepherd and the final cakewalk dance. As much color came from the orchestra as was seen on the large screen, creating a satisfying double-dipping experience.
The exquisitely beautiful musical poem "The Enchanted Lake" was highlighted by about 30 photographs by Ely artist Jim Brandenburg. Floating through the images of leaves, water and ducks with the music of Liadov made it difficult to maintain contact with reality. We all levitated with the experience.
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A short Hungarian "Village Dance" by Bartok was explosive and decidedly barbaric. This wonderfully raw dance was illustrated by 25 vibrant drawings, again from the Grant students of Christine Valento. Much of the energy was captured twice, both in sound and in pictures from these inspired children.
Perrault led "Pictures at an Exhibition," an extended tour through an art exhibit written for piano by Modest Mussorgsky and arranged for orchestra by Maurice Ravel. All 15 sections are filled with colorful musical attempts to capture the slightly bizarre paintings of Russian artist Viktor Hartmann. While the Promenade that guides the listener from one piece to the next was consistently sluggish, the rest of this varied composition showed off the strength of this 60-piece orchestra. With only five nonstudents, the richness of the evening bodes well for the coming generation of Duluth musicians.
Hartmann's work was complimented with about 90 drawings and computer configurations, thanks to UMD students Joellyn Rock and Robert Wittig. "Ballet of the Chicks" was particularly rewarding, with the intricate orchestral parts and the hilarious drawings. "Market Place at Limoges" always makes my heart pound, while the visit to the catacombs allows the brass to create dark images.
With gusto, the feverish music of the "Baba Yaga" blazed into the "Great Gate of Kiev," which accompanied the spectacular paintings by Hartmann. The fullness of the orchestra in the final hymn was wondrous.
These students shared rich music with enthusiasm that, combined with the drawings from other students, created an overall effect of artistic exuberance. This generation of artists will keep Duluth vibrant for the next several decades. Let us support them fully.
Samuel Black is a Duluth musician and writing instructor who reviews musical programs for the News Tribune.
