I learned to play the violin when I was in the third grade. Ever since, I was fond of music and always enjoyed playing an instrument, but over time, I just could not find the time to do so. I managed to play in my school orchestra all the way through high school but I gradually became less and less skillful and decided to stop in college. However, I still enjoy watching a live orchestra and listen to the production-free music.

On Saturday night (September 28th), that’s exactly what I did. I took a bus down to Brooklyn College and watched the school’s Conservatory Orchestra perform. George Rothman, a man with an extraordinary list of credentials, conducted the orchestra. This performance did not disappoint. The lighting in the auditorium was perfect. Performers were dressed very well and the set up was flawless; making the stage look angelic. After watching many high school performances, this just seems ten times fancier. The music was great and the conductor was full of energy. At times, the movements of the conductor was actually more interesting than the orchestra.

They started off by playing Vltava by Smetana. While listening to this song, I felt like I was watching a very happy romance movie. Perhaps there was about to be a wedding. According to the program notes, “Smetana uses tone painting throughout the piece, a technique that is meant to evoke the sounds of the river.” I can easily imagine a river flowing from this song. This was performed flawlessly and definitely kept you on your toes. When the song was meant to be soft, they could barely be heard. When they were supposed to be loud, they made sure you heard!

Next, they played Fatum by Tchaikovsky. Unfortunately, the version played is a version reconstructed from surviving parts. The original was actually burned by Tchaikovsky himself because his mentor harshly criticized the work. It was only performed once in his lifetime, but many times after. This song was more exciting. It begins with a more scary movie feel. Imagine Jaws, but played in a fancy way. A few times during the song, I almost applauded because it was a great performance and the performers stopped. If only I knew that was part of the song. The song continues to be fast paced, sounding more and more like a car chase. It is enough to keep people awake so they have enough energy to listen to their last piece.

Their last song was actually Symphony No. 1 in C Major by Beethoven. The setup of the stage was changed for this to reflect the setup Beethoven used when he performed it. Half the orchestra left and the violins and cellos shifted around. The audience was warned that some parts of this song was going to be played in the “wrong” key. It was the genius of Beethoven and made the piece more interesting. I started by listening and waiting to hear that wrong key, mostly to test my musical abilities. I ended up being hypnotized and forgot to even listen for the key change. This song was a mix of excitement and happy, so it was a great song to tie up the performance.

This is certainly an orchestra to see.

Brooklyn College Conservatory Orchestra