During the weekend of Oct. 18, the Concordia Symphony Orchestra took on a tour to Arizona, where they featured works by Haydn, Hindemith, Manz and Bach in their fourth Cathedral concert. 

Orchestra member Olivia Thoelke and Angel Canal gave their background in music and insight into this weekend.

Thoelke, a senior and principal cellist in the orchestra, said, “From the time that I was little, I knew I wanted to be a cellist.” She loves not only playing the cello, but also playing with the orchestra as a whole. Thoelke has held the position of section leader since she was a freshman and views it as a huge gift. 

Canal, first oboist and lead alto in the jazz band, shared, “The Music Department here is such a special community. It is a great place to grow as a musician with the support of your peers.” Canal studies woodwinds and doubles with oboe as a major, so music means a lot to him, and being able to share it with an audience is a blessing.

Thoelke described the preparation that went into this performance. “Sectionals were a place where we were able to learn what it means to be part of our section and find one voice,” she said. 

The orchestra played Bach/Manz: In Dulci Jubilo: Speer: Die Bänkelsängerlieder; Haydn: Symphony No. 22, “The Philosopher;” and Hindemith: Mathis der Maler Symphony (“Mathias the Painter”). 

Both musicians explained that Hindemith took a lot of practice and hard work to get down. Thoelke said that while Hindemith specifically had a lot of rehearsal due to “its difficulty and sound world,” it was her favorite to play. This piece challenged the orchestra, and she said, “We grew a lot from playing that symphony.” Canal said, “The first movement of the Hindemith is really fun once you get it under your fingers.” 

Thoelke was very happy with both her personal performance and the performance of the orchestra as a whole. She said, “This performance I grew as the cello section leader,” and as a whole, “we sang with one voice.” She said that the audience was compelled by their music, and to her, that is satisfactory work. Thoelke said that being a senior made this tour extra special because she loves performing, and she “got to savor it in a whole new way.” 

The Cathedral Concert series is unique to Concordia, and Dr. Jeff Held puts a lot of thought behind each piece played by the orchestra. Thoelke explained that each piece of the performance was tied to a vocation. She said, “I love that we can combine both secular and sacred works in one concert in order to understand the Christian life better… I think that is the main point of the Cathedral concerts.” Canal added, “The opportunity to play in a church with amazing acoustics is always a wonderful one… nice people, beautiful churches and a wonderful community.”

Thoelke said the most meaningful part of playing with Concordia is “getting to know people through the shared experience of learning and making music.” This is a beautiful thing that the orchestra gets to be a part of and take to the stage. She said, “When we get to share the blood, sweat and tears, it's a really special thing.” 

Touring is not only a fun aspect of the gig but a formative experience. Canal said traveling with the orchestra “just brings excitement to life and lets the music breathe to be taken out of our usual element.” Thoelke shared, “There’s a special bond with the musicians and the music itself that is formed on a tour.” 

The orchestra will perform in December for the Concordia Christmas concert at Segerstrom Hall and at Carnegie Hall in the spring, both of which Theolke is looking forward to. Canal is most excited for Carnegie Hall and said, “It will be my third time returning to Carnegie and it’s always a special memory and a jolly time being in New York.”

Tags: Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Carr

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