By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO — A full house greeted the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra’s Director, David Amos, as he welcomed the audience in Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Cohen Social Hall for TICO’s Annual Pops Concert last Sunday afternoon, August 4.
He then introduced the orchestra’s Assistant Conductor, Robert Zelickman, who took the helm for most of the program. Zelickman, with his clever quips, brought lightness and mirth to the concert, although the orchestra’s renditions reflected his serious rehearsing to achieve some fine results.
The concert opened with Offenbach’s “Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld,” concluding with the familiar “Can-Can.” Solos by the clarinet, oboe, cello and the keyboard (imitating the harp), were all nicely executed and the finale was filled with verve. With the Olympic Games in Paris, this work by a French composer served as an appropriate concert opener.
Next came the brief but satiric “March” from The Love for Three Oranges by Prokofief, followed by Three English Dances by the Welsh composer, Edward German. German wrote these dances as part of the incidental music for a production of Henry VIII at the Old Globe Theater in London.
“Morris Dance,” “Shepherd’s Dance,” and “Torch Dance,” were all in the Baroque style and were nicely performed by the orchestra.
Bach’s “Little Fugue,” arranged for orchestra by Calliet, brought back fond memories. I once played it as principal second violin in a student all-city orchestra in Los Angeles and recalled how focused I was, counting the measures to make sure to bring my section in on time. Each voice is as important as the next in a fugue and if every entrance is correct, the voices fit to together like a beautiful sounding puzzle. TICO’s fugal voices did, indeed, enter on time and ended in an exciting climax.
Concluding the first half of the program was another selection by Bach, the first movement of his Concerto in D Minor, originally written for harpsichord, but now played frequently by piano. A talented 13-year old pianist, Paul Ennis, dispatched the solo line with assured confidence and rhythmic security, accompanied by the strings of TICO under Amos’ direction.. Paul is a student of pianist Sonia Schumann, who will be soloing with TICO during next season.
After intermission, Amos again mounted the podium to conduct the Triumphal Entry of the Boyards by the Norwegian composer Johan Halverson. This was another example of TICO’s practice of introducing audiences to lesser-known composers and their works. Amos explained that Boyards were royals in some Eastern European countries who ranked just below the kings and queens.
An arrangement of the “Theme from Schindler’s List” for soloist and orchestra by John Williams was next, in which concertmaster, Bryce Newall played the solo line with neat precision. This work and the concluding three selections were conducted by Zelickman.
Two medleys followed, the first was A Tribute to Henry Mancini, which included “Baby Elephant Walk,” “Charade,” “Pink Panther,” “Days of Wine and Roses.” and “Peter Gunn,” with outstanding solos by the horn and the trombones. The second medley was from A Chorus Line by Marvin Hamlish, with “I Hope I Get It,” ” At the Ballet,” “One,” and “What I Did for Love.” Zelickman reminded the audience that Chorus Line was 49 years old!
The Pops Concert concluded with its traditional Sousa March, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” The two piccolo players stood up as they toodled their rapid obligato passages. The audience left uplifted and happy, a welcome experience in today’s world.
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Eileen Wingard is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.