STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
The young man who is studying chemistry at the University of Utah wiggled in his seat at the Sun Valley Pavilion Friday evening.
“I am so excited, beyond excited,” he said as he awaited the start of the Sun Valley Music Festival concert featuring a new Andy Akiho Concerto and a larger-than-life presentation of Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks.”
The young man is currently assisting with an insulin study that takes him back and forth between Salt Lake City and his hometown of Spokane, Wash. But his dream is to research a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.
“I love classical music, but I don’t play myself,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it.”
Those attending the first week of the Sun Valley Music Festival’s 40th season had a lot to appreciate ranging from the extremely expressive singing of soprano Meechot Marero, who endeared herself to the audience with her rendition of “O Mio Babbino Caro,” to violinist Juliana Athayde’s fierce bowing as she reprised Astor Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.”
There’ll be plenty more to appreciate this week beginning tonight as the Sun Valley Music Festival plays some of Classical Music’s Greatest Hits, including John Williams “Olympic Fanfare and Theme,” Johann Strauss Jr.’s “Blue Danube” and Rossini’s “Overture to William Tell.”
Yo-Yo Ma will play the Gala Benefit performance on Monday—the only concert for which admission is charged. Following that, pianist Sir Stephen Hough, who has been nominated for several Grammy awards, will perform Grieg’s Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra, followed by a Post-Concert Lawn Party featuring DJ BearSkinRug, AKA Ernie Trevino.
And don’t think you can miss Friday’s concert featuring the Sun Valley Music Festival Institute’s student musicians. It promises to be good, entertaining and there may even be a few surprises.
The music starts at 6:30 p.m. Seats are available inside the Pavilion and outside on the Pavilion lawn where people may spread out a picnic as they watch the concert on the big lawn screen.
The lineup:
Festival Orchestra
Sunday, August 4
Alasdair Neale, conductor
Stephanie Childress, conductor
Williams: Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Johann Strauss, Jr.: On the Beautiful Blue Danube
Wagner/Hutschenruyter: The Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walküre
Rossini: Overture to William Tell
Ravel: Boléro
Festival Orchestra — Gala Benefit Concert
Monday, August 5
Featuring Yo-Yo Ma. Sold Out.
Chamber Concert
Wednesday, August 7
Sir Stephen Hough, piano
Jeremy Constant, violin
Polina Sedukh, violin
Adam Smyla, viola
Amos Yang, cello
Cécile Chaminade: Étude de concert, Op.35, No. 2, “Automne”
Sir Stephen Hough: Sonatina Nostalgica
Dvořák: Quintet No. 2 in A Major for Piano, Two Violins, Viola, and Cello, Op. 81
Festival Orchestra
Thursday, August 8
Alasdair Neale, conductor
Sir Stephen Hough, piano
Alex Orfaly, timpani
Gabriela Ortiz: Antrópolis
Grieg: Concerto in A Minor for Piano, Op. 16
Music Institute Summer Student Concerts
Friday, Aug. 9
Afternoon concert at 3 p.m. features intermediate and beginning students and ensembles.
Evening Concert at 6:30 p.m. features advanced students and ensembles, including the Chamber Singers, Piano Ensembles, Opera Vignettes, Advanced Chamber Orchestra and Sun Valley Youth Orchestra.