Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 20, 1992 TAG: 9203200115
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF DeBELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Selected members of the orchestra will be given the opportunity to improvise solo passages, just like jazz artists. The occasion will be the world premiere of "Conversations," a specially commissioned work by Billy Taylor.
The composer-pianist's medium is jazz. "Conversations," though written for symphony orchestra, is no exception.
"Everything I write for the symphony orchestra is jazz," Taylor said by telephone from his home in New York. "I love the sound of the symphony orchestra, and I think the symphony orchestra should play American music."
Though he has written for symphony orchestra before, "Conversations" is the first time he has allowed members of the orchestra to improvise solos. During workshops with the Roanoke orchestra in the fall, he identified members who were interested in improvising and made provision for them in his score.
They are given three options. They can play a solo written by the composer, they can do one of their own or they can forge a combination of the two.
"The thing I tried to do was give them the context," Taylor said. "I don't want them to be uncomfortable."
One of soloists will be bassoonist John Husser. There also will be solos from the orchestra's trumpet, clarinet and percussion sections.
Classical musicians once were expected to be able to improvise as a matter of course. Musicians sometimes would extemporize on musical themes as a form of entertainment, as Mozart did in the film "Amadeus."
Improvisation faded as a part of classical training and practice about a century ago, perhaps because it was overshadowing the composers' original work. Many modern classical musicians are uncomfortable with the idea of diverging from the written score; certainly there was no stampede of volunteers during Taylor's workshops with the Roanoke orchestra. But the composer said he knew from his own recent recording experience with the Juilliard Quartet - a consummately classical ensemble - that it could work.
"I'm excited," he said. "Victoria [Bond, the orchestra's conductor] is one of the few musical directors I know who's not only willing to take on new music but has an insight into the kind of music that will reach out to an audience."
"Conversations" consists of three movements and is just over half an hour long. Joining the orchestra in its performance will be the Billy Taylor Trio and jazz violinist Joseph Kennedy, longtime friend of Taylor's and a member of the Virginia Tech music faculty.
Taylor said "Conversations" takes its title from the "musical exchanges" that take place as themes and motifs are passed around during the course of the piece.
"You'll hear a conversation between my bass violin and the orchestra's bass section, for example. Throughout the piece, these little `conversations' are going on."
Taylor's part of Monday's concert will be recorded by National Public Radio for use "Performance Today," a show carried by about 70 stations around the country.
The concert will be in the Roanoke Civic Center auditorium at 8 p.m. Tickets remain available at $10 apiece and can be reserved at 343-9127.
The concert will be repeated Tuesday in Virginia Tech's Burruss Hall. Tickets are available at $10 and $5 (students) and can be reserved at 231-5615.
The concerts will bring to a close Taylor's season-long tenure as the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra's first composer-in-residence. The residency has been supported jointly by the orchestra and Virginia Tech. In addition to completing his commission and performing with the orchestra, Taylor has performed with his trio (and Kennedy) at Roanoke College and with jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis at Tech. He also has conducted master classes at the two schools and carried out speaking engagements and other public appearances in the area.
Bond says there will be more jazz residencies in the future.
Also on the program for next week's concerts are Gunther Schuller's "Journey Into Jazz" and Richard Strauss' "Metamorphosen." Schuller is a classical horn player with extensive composing and musicological experience in jazz. "Journey Into Jazz" was first performed in 1962.
The mournful "Metamorphosen" was written to commemorate Allied destruction of the Munich Hoftheater during bombing raids in 1943.
Strauss is featured composer for the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra's 1991-92 season. Music from his opera "Der Rosenkavalier" will be featured during the final concert on April 13.
***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on Saturday, March 21, 1992
\ The number to call for tickets to Monday's Roanoke Symphony Orchestra concert with Billy Taylor is 343-9127. An incorrect number was published in a story and in the Calendar of Friday's Extra section.
ROANOKE SYMPHONY AND BILLY TAYLOR TRIO: Monday, 8 p.m., Roanoke Civic Center auditorium. 981-1201. March 24, Virginia Tech's Burruss Auditorium, Blacksburg. 231-5615.
Memo: Correction