On Oct. 19, the Concordia Symphony Orchestra performed one of Beethoven’s most grand symphonies to a sold-out audience in Zhang Hall. Conducted by Dr. Jeff Held, Assistant Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, Concordia’s orchestra took on Beethoven’s Third Symphony “Eroica” which is made up of four separate movements and stands at an astounding hour-long duration.

Accompanied by program notes, written by Held, audience members were able to follow along and read information about each of the four contrasting movements. Unlike traditional concerts, where there may be an intermission or applause within songs, “Eroica” was performed with no stops, creating a demanding performance for the musicians involved. Yet, the performance remained engaging as they contrasted faster and more cheerful works with more solemn moments such as the funeral march movement. 

Notably, “Eroica” allowed certain student performers to highlight their talents in solo sections for oboe and horns. Senior Theology major, Jen Loeber, came to this concert to see her peers who had featured sections. “My favorite part of the symphony was all of the little solos. My friend invited me to come watch and the French horns really had a leading role in this symphony… It’s always great to support my friends and see what they do,” said Loeber. 

Over 20 students, several alumni and a handful of resident performing artists make up this year's Concordia Symphony Orchestra. This academic year has already proven to be one of great accomplishments for the Music Department, as they gave a spectacular concert in honor of Roger Williams, a few weeks prior to performing this symphony. This year, the Music Department’s orchestral performances will reach a grand finale in May as the symphony will tour throughout Japan and South Korea alongside the Concordia Choir. 

Additionally, this year has brought the unique challenge of having to relocate concerts to other venues as the CU Center continues to go through renovations. The Borland-Manske Center’s Zhang Hall provided an intimate environment and acoustic experience for the symphony attendees. What resulted was an immersive experience for audience members as the orchestra and conductor were notably very close. “As an audience member, I was a lot closer to the action. The sound was a lot less resonant then I’m used to hearing since it is a smaller room. Overall, it sounded great,” said Loeber. 

The experience and seating for this concert was a treat for many audience members, as other concert halls would charge a high price to sit that close to the action. However, it appears that the relocation to a smaller room was an intentional choice made by Held as the room where “Eroica” was first performed in the 1800’s, was very similar to the size of Zhang Hall.

Additionally, Held made an effort to mention that the newly renovated CU Center will include an acoustic system that was previously used only in European music halls. As students and faculty continue to navigate the challenges of the CU Center renovation, the excitement of being the first American institution to have this state-of-the-art acoustic system is definitely present in the Music Department. 

To find out more information or to purchase tickets for upcoming Music Department events and concerts, please visit simple.tix.com

Tags: Symphony Orchestra

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