College Orchestra Performs in Carnegie Hall
by Laurie Williams Sowby
NEW YORK CITY — A decade ago, Terry Hill joined the faculty of Utah Valley State College with the dream of creating a symphony orchestra — and eventually a four-year music degree. Last week, he got a lot closer to realizing his dream.
The 85 students in UVSC’s Symphony Orchestra played in Carnegie Hall, whose stage has hosted all the musical greats. They performed as part of the hall’s Ensemble Spotlight Series, sharing the evening with a string symphony from Shoreline, Wash., and a wind ensemble from the University of Central Arkansas.
Terry Hill and the Utah Valley State College Symphony Orchestra take a bow following a well-received performance in Carnegie Hall April 11.
The audience applauded wildly at the UVSC musicians’ renditions of Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture and the finale from Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, plus the world premiere of Utah composer Merrill Jenson’s four-movement “Viking Saga.”
The UVSC Symphony has also been invited to participate in 2004’s Cultural Olympiad in Athens, Greece.
It’s been a long journey to Carnegie Hall, and a real accomplishment, considering Hill started the program with just 11 students in his “orchestra” 10 years ago when UVSC was making its transition from a trade technical school.
The second year, the numbers doubled and continued to do so until the orchestra boasted a full complement of musicians just three years after the program began.
Said Matt Maddox, a trombone player who plans to participate in the orchestra until his mission call comes next year, the performance at Carnegie Hall proves that high-quality musical talent is choosing to attend UVSC.
Hill, a violist, served as assistant director to Robert Bowden and recording director of the Mormon Youth Symphony and Chorus for 30 years. He also directs the Utah Valley Youth Symphony, a younger group which performed in Carnegie Hall in a matinee the same day as the college symphony.
The vast majority of the members of both orchestras are Latter- day Saints, and many in the UVSC Symphony have served full-time missions.
Composer Jenson, who has written 28 feature-length film scores as well as music for LDS Church media productions, was pleased with the orchestra’s performance of “Viking Saga” in its world premiere in Carnegie Hall. “It’s pretty difficult, and they played it well,” he said.
2002Meridian Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
