College of Charleston Orchestra Debuts at Carnegie Hall
The 70-person College of Charleston Orchestra performed for the first time at Carnegie Hall to resounding applause.
Photos by Alyona Photography
The words “Carnegie Hall” evoke thoughts of great performances. Ginger Vallen ’05 gets to experience those great performances every day.
“There is something truly magical about walking into Carnegie Hall, and that feeling hasn’t changed for the past 18 years that I’ve worked here,” says Vallen, director of special events at Carnegie Hall. “It isn’t just the beautiful music that reverberates through the building – it’s the history of the space that you can tangibly feel as you move through it. Every performer who has ever played Carnegie Hall leaves their distinct mark and adds to the character of the place; to get to experience that on a daily basis is a wonderful and humbling experience.”
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the 70-person College of Charleston Orchestra got to experience that magic. In addition to the CofC Orchestra, the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Charleston Symphony performed at Carnegie Hall that night.
Two members of the School of the Arts personally understood the incredible value of performing in one of the most famous performance venues in the world.
“Carnegie Hall is a magnificent venue that holds a special place in my heart,” says Jayme Klinger Host, dean of the School of the Arts, who performed at Carnegie Hall as first oboe in her central Pennsylvania high school band. “I know firsthand the transformative power of stepping onto that legendary stage. Now, watching our orchestra perform works by our own faculty composers in this iconic venue fills me with immense pride.
“This experience will forever impact our students’ artistic journeys, just as it did mine,” continues Host.
“Having our students perform compositions by their professors at Carnegie Hall exemplifies the extraordinary talent and collaborative spirit that defines our School of the Arts.”
For Yuriy Bekker, conductor of the CofC Orchestra and violin instructor, coming to Carnegie Hall is a lot like coming home.
“I am thrilled that our students have the opportunity to perform on such a historic and beautiful stage,” he says. “As a teenager growing up in Brooklyn, I was a member of the New York Youth Symphony, and we performed at Carnegie Hall three times a year. I still remember how, every time we finished a piece, the hall would ring for a few seconds. That lingering sound gave me chills and filled me with amazement, joy and satisfaction.
“I am thrilled for our students to have that same experience — one they will treasure forever,” he adds. “Whether or not they pursue a career in music, this will be a moment they remember for the rest of their lives, and it will be a wonderful addition to their résumés.”
Of course, Bekker was also honored to have the orchestra perform works of his colleagues, including the New York premier of a piece by Yiorgos Vassilandonakis, professor of music theory/composition, called Corsaro, and Subwaves, a piece by former CofC professor Trevor Weston. Edward Hart ’88, professor of music theory/composition, also had a piece – A Charleston Concerto – have its New York premiere with the Charleston Symphony.
“It is incredibly meaningful to have composers share their artistry with us, and it is particularly special that Professor Vassilandonakis composed Corsaro specifically for the CofC Orchestra,” says Bekker. “Many of our students know these composers personally, and some have even taken their classes, making this performance all the more memorable for them.”
For two cellists in the orchestra, the experience of performing at Carnegie Hall was transformative. Not only was it their first time in New York City and their first time on the Carnegie Hall stage, they also stepped in to perform with the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra.
“To be sitting in a hall built to express the musical talents and experiences of the great musicians who have come before us was overwhelming,” says Zachary Butler, a music major and recipient of the Dominion Scholarship, G. Theodore Wichmann Memorial Scholarship in Music, Ellen Glenn Lightsey Scholarship, Delphin & Romain Scholarship in Music, Hale-Westbury Scholarship, Lee Harwood Scholarship Fund for Music and Fran Welch Teacher Education Endowed Scholarship. “To sit on a stage with my profound colleagues and lash out bow stroke to bow stroke, all the work and dedication we put into our performance was very enriching and enlightening for me, our entire orchestra and my extended friends and family who cheered me on from the Carolinas. I am extremely grateful for the experience, and I hope to grace the halls of Carnegie again with my music.”
Adds music major Isaac Hill, who aspires to be a composer, “It was amazing to perform such a repertoire in Carnegie Hall. It was a great experience to perform Dr. Vassilandonakis’ piece that he created with us in mind and to perform Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony Finale, which debuted at Carnegie Hall.”
Both Hill and Butler enjoyed having the time to bond with other orchestra members, a rare opportunity as when they are together, they are usually rehearsing.
“I’m really proud of how I have grown with the orchestra and how the orchestra has grown as an ensemble,” says Hill, a junior who received the Douglas Ashley Scholarship, Frank Xavier Burkart Endowed Scholarship and Ellen Glenn Lightsey Scholarship. “We now have a more blended sound, and I’m excited to see where that will go.”
Both Hill and Butler are grateful to Bekker for his dedication to getting the members of the orchestra prepared for their Carnegie Hall debut. They also appreciate donors like Frank and Peggy Oldham who made this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity possible.
