by Bria Isaacson, News Editor
The Asbury orchestra will be playing a time and space-themed concert at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 28 in Hughes Auditorium. To fit the theme, they will be playing two movements, “Mars” and “Jupiter,” from Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite “The Planets,” and the violin concerto “Winter” from Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” according to Director Nathan Miller. A trumpet ensemble will also be performing a prelude based on the hymn-tune Helmsley with the organ.
Both of these are huge and iconic pieces for the orchestra to perform.
“The Holst is an especially exciting tour de force for a large orchestra,” Miller said. “It’s only possible because of the growth of the orchestra over the past few years, both in numbers and in quality. The orchestra members have worked very hard to pull off this piece, which is certainly the most challenging that the orchestra has attempted in my time here at Asbury.“
Junior CJ Hawkins, who plays the bass clarinet, agreed that this piece is really challenging.
“It’s really pushed me, and I’ve logged a lot of extra practice, but it’s worth it,” she said. She also said that many additional players from both Asbury and the community have joined the orchestra for this performance only. “It’s a really large ensemble, and it’s been really fun to be a part of,” she said.
The ensemble has indeed added a lot of people for this concert. In spring 2015, according to Miller, there were 35 members. For this concert, there will be 64 musicians on stage, and 14 of these will be high school students. These high school musicians are exceptional musicians from the region, Miller said, and he hopes to recruit many of them to play for Asbury in years to come. For this year, though, these musicians were added because of the additional instruments and parts needed for these huge pieces.
Since the pieces are so monumental, the orchestra has been practicing together since the beginning of the semester, according to junior Jake Luhn. “It’s coming together compared to the first time we played it,” he said. “The Planets are really cool for someone like me who really loves space. It sounds similar to Star Wars and Star Trek because it was the basis for these songs.”
These pieces are interesting not only because they have inspired other space-themed songs, but also because they are classic pieces. Senior Sarah Crock, who plays first violin, is excited to play them, because she has played a few of “The Planets” before.
“I played Mars in high school, and the chance to not only play it again but to also learn Jupiter has been such a great opportunity,” Crock said. “The Planets are fairly difficult, and there’s nothing like the satisfaction of learning and performing complex, fun pieces. The rhythms, the themes, and the knowledge that we’re mastering such hard pieces create a whole experience for the musicians that will hopefully be communicated to the audience.”
Miller hopes also that their goal will be adequately communicated. His goal is that the songs will hopefully help people to reflect on God’s kingdom.
“[God’s kingdom] is both here and with us now in part, but more fully realized in heaven to come,” he said. “God, who exists outside of time and our space, comes to us in our time and space — first in sending His Son, then the Holy Spirit, and finally to reign for eternity. This is one of the great truths of Christianity — Immanuel, God with us.”