Last night we celebrated Mozart's 250th birthday and Shostakovich's 100th birthday. In addition, it is the Centennial year of Minnesota Power (An Alete company), our local township and our local bank. Any one of those would be cause for a celebration in our communities, but all five--now that's a real birthday party!
The Northern Lights Music Festival Chamber Orchestra played Mozart's Divertimento in D Major, K.136 and Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8, arranged for String Orchestra. The Chamber Orchestra was conducted by Gavriel Heine--the first American to receive a combined Bachelors and Masters degree from the Moscow Conservatory--and faculty member of the Music Festival.
After an intermission, the Chamber Orchestra performed Shastakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 35. Bryan Appleby-Wineberg was the trumpet soloist. He is head of the brass division and coordinator of the graduate program in music at Rowan University in NJ. Veda Zuponcic was the piano soloist.
It was VERY hot in the high school auditorium but the applause for the performance raised the heat to the boiling point. It was spectacular.
After the performance, we all adjourned to the Catholic Church across the street for birthday cake and ice cream. The Walkie Talkies have hosted an ice cream social each of the other years. This year the bank and Minnesota Power and the township paid for the cake and ice cream but the WT's served it (thanks to Tee's leadership). It was a wonderful evening.
Irene (L) and Joan (R) cut one of the cakes.
Laurie cuts a cake. Dorothy (L) and Naomi (R) scoop the ice cream for the guests.
Irene cuts the cake and serves some to Greg Maytan who played the violin in the Chamber Orchestra.
Today the Festival participants are on their way to Ely, MN, to perform at the high school auditorium tonight and to get in some shopping (See our link for The End of the Road at the right). Tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. is the final concert. We will certainly miss the performances and will miss seeing all of the young people out and about in our town.
Once again, we thank Veda for bringing this wonderful Festival to us! We appreciate all of her hard work and that of her entire faculty.
