Chamber Orchestra plays year's first concert

The Jacobs School of Music’s chamber orchestra, under the direction of conductor Uriel Segal, performed its first concert of the year Wednesday night at Auer Hall.

The Israeli-born Segal has served as a principal guest conductor at Jacobs since 2004 and has lead a respectable international career, which started in 1969 after he won first prize in the Dimitri Mitropolous Conducting Competition in New York City.

Shortly after, he served as an assistant to Leonard Bernstein at the New York Philharmonic until 1970.

He has since conducted in orchestras around the world, including those in the United States, Israel, Japan and throughout Europe.

“The Jacobs Chamber Orchestra is one of seven orchestral ensembles in the school,” said Linda Cajigas, Jacobs publicity and media relations specialist. “It is the quintessential classical orchestra because it represents the core instruments of an orchestra before the more embellished Romantic period, which added percussion and additional instrumentation.”

Three compositions, each from a different composer, were performed at the
concert.

“The varied program performed Wednesday night is a great kick-off to this ensemble’s very full season,” Cajigas said.

The first work performed was Symphony No. 44 in E Minor, commonly known as “Trauer,” which was completed in 1772 by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.

The second was Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto in D, sometimes referred to as “Basle,” which was composed in 1946 shortly after Stravinsky became an American citizen.

The final work was the lighthearted Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93, created by Beethoven in 1812.

Senior Caleb Wiebe and freshman Grant Barker both performed on trumpet at the concert.

Barker said although preparations during the previous two weeks were time consuming, he thought the program was really strong.

Wiebe was especially happy with the location of concert. “It’s great that the chamber orchestra gets to perform in Auer Hall because it has the best acoustics,” he said.

He also noted the diversity in programs the orchestra will play at its upcoming concerts.

“This semester has a wide range of repertoire,” he said.

Follow Jacobs School of Music reporter Rachel Osman on Twitter @rachosman.