THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406080154
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03B EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARLENE FORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH: Medium
Fast runs in the strings, runs in the piano. Repeated rhythms in the strings, same rhythms in the piano. ``Oh no. The bell for next class is on the tape, too.'' He shrugged. ``I suppose I'm glad the orchestra didn't just get up and walk out.''
{REST} In fact, the Cox High School orchestra didn't walk out, but soon after the rehearsal taping, the orchestra performed the debut of ``Concerto for Piano'' by Gregory Hallstead Spears. Just this spring another orchestra of select high school students repeated the performance at the Music Educators National Conference in Cincinnati.
Spears, 16, is the son of Richard and Susan Spears, a junior at Cox and a Brickell Scholar for academic achievement. He's also a pianist, a composition student of internationally known composer Adolphus Hailstork - and a young, award-winning composer in his own right.
According to Hailstork, who is composer-in-residence at Norfolk State University, Spears ``is one of the most gifted students I've ever run across. He's a phenomenal pianist and a wonderful composer. In addition to music, he's got better than a four-point average in school and great personality.''
Spears does have an impressive list of musical credits and awards. Beginning in the eighth grade as a student at Great Neck Junior High he won a series of the PTA Reflections contests in music composition.
Although he studies piano with Georgi Riabikoff, he insists that's not where his talent lies.
``Performing makes me nervous,'' Spears said. ``It's much nicer to write something down and then go sit and listen to it in the audience.''
He named Gershwin's ``Rhapsody in Blue'' as the greatest thing he ever heard. He insisted music by Poulenc, Stravinski, Saint-Saens and Hailstork have all rubbed off on him. His teacher agreed, calling attention to his use of tone colors.
Spears is in contention for first place in the statewide PTA competition with ``Concerto for Piano,'' the same one-movement piece chosen for the music educators convention. However, as a high school junior he is concentrating on next year, visiting colleges - preferably music conservatories. Although competition is tough, Hailstork thinks the Julliard or Eastman schools of music are realistic goals.
And as composers are apt to do, Spears is always composing.
``Two more movements of the piano concerto and then I want to start a choral piece, then a fanfare for trumpets and some chamber music. But I still have time,'' he said.
by CNB