Monmouth College encourages art appreciation. In fact, Monmouth College requires art appreciation. As part of the liberal arts, general education program at MC, every student must appreciate some art before graduating. The list of possible choices includes courses in literature, art and music. This writer has appreciated her share of literature.  She has also appreciated music in Music 101—of which she will soon show off her vast knowledge of [some] things musical—but she also appreciates the many free and non-compulsory opportunities available at MC. The Monmouth College Chamber Orchestra is a good place to start.

The MC Chamber Orchestra is a core string ensemble with select members from wind, brass and percussion. Their latest concert was performed in the Dahl Chapel and Auditorium at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11.  The Orchestra is conducted by Carolyn Suda, director of strings and music appreciation.  Suda traded a traditional program of full orchestral works for a collage of movements from several great works by celebrated composers. Her selections were representative of four aesthetic periods in musical history. The Orchestra has made great strides in recent years, and this was the one of their most ambitious programs to date. 

William Dyson’s “Variations on an Appalachian Theme” was the first and only full piece performed by the string ensemble during the concert. This was followed by the first movement of the “Brandenburg Concerto #3,” a characteristic Baroque concerto by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. George Frideric Handel’s “Andante for Two Cello” highlighted the playing of senior Sarah Arcan and Monmouth-Roseville High School senior Melissa O’Neal. Suda accompanied the two women on Cello. Handel was another German-born composer of the Baroque period; however, he and Bach had distinct and competing styles. 

Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a dominating force of the Romantic period. His music has been immortalized in a number of famous ballets, including “The Nutcracker” and “Romeo and Juliet.” The string ensemble performed Elegie: Larghetto from his “Serenade for Strings.” Suda quoted Tchaikovsky as saying, “I composed this from my heart; I threw my whole soul into this work.”

The entire chamber orchestra came together for the final piece of the concert, the third movement and finale of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Symphony #34 in C Major.” The Austrian piano prodigy, Mozart, was a heavyweight of the Classical period, along with Beethoven and Hayden. 

During a break between pieces, Suda recognized the contribution of foreign exchange students and violinists, Jason Lim from Scotland and Elena Reshetova from Russia.  She also thanked seniors Danielle Moore, first violin and concertmaster, and Sarah Arcan, principal cellist, for their dedication to the group.  Both women will play at MC for the last time during the annual Christmas concert.

A faculty chamber recital will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dahl Chapel and Auditorium.

Return to Home -- Return to Features