By Tessa Retterath, Theoroi

On Thursday, March 22, the Theoroi group attended its seventh event of the 2011-2012 season. Coordinated by The Schubert Club, Theoroi is a group of young individuals who attend Twin Cities arts performances as a group and spread the word about their experience using their choice of social media. The attendees are learning about the arts together, forming friendships, and aiding in audience development across the Twin Cities.

This outing was at the Temple of Israel in Uptown Minneapolis. The group met prior to the performance for a preconcert discussion in the Temple of Israel’s Jacob’s Room. The group was greeted by The Schubert Club’s Artistic and Executive Director, Barry Kempton. The remainder of the discussion was with Twin Cities arts reviewer, Rob Hubbard. Rob shared with the group about the importance of doing research prior to attending a performance, the challenges of condensing your thoughts into a predefined number of characters or words, and the importance of posting your review as soon as possible. He also shared advice with the group about how to be honest yet tactful when writing critically.

The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra performed works by Mozart, Haydn, and Enescu and was joined by guest soloist Soovin Kim. Christian Tetzlaff was the originally scheduled soloist, but due to a family emergency, Kim was announced as the replacement only a few days prior to the performance.

The members of the group seemed to thoroughly enjoy the evening. Reece Peterson describes the evening and artist replacement as follows:

“The SPCO rose to the occasion Thursday night as they delivered a performance worthy of a standing ovation. The drama prior to the start of the performance was enough to make any soap opera appear tranquil. Christopher Tetzlaff was beckoned back to Germany for a family emergency and Soovin Kim was called upon to fill the void of conductor and soloist. If that wasn’t enough drama for the soap connoisseurs, the second piece performed was Enesco Octet, which would make any standup violinist think twice before plunging head long into the lead role. As the lights dimmed, the audience braced themselves for what could be a train wreck, or a brilliant showcase of talent. Immediately, the entire audience apprehended the latter of the two circumstances was on the verge of transpiring given the beaming smiles emitting from the SPCO musicians and the vigorous hand shake exchanged between Soovin Kim and concertmaster Steven Copes. Soovin Kim throughout the performance spell bound the audience with his ability to touch the softest string to pull you to the brink of your seat and then strike a note so violently that you grasped your arm rest for stability. Soovin Kim composed a brilliant performance and even more impressively illustrated his extraordinary talent.” Read the entire post from Reece here

Rea Retterath describes the evening’s repertoire in her blog post as follows:

“The first piece, a Mozart rondo, was uplifting, energetic and all that is enjoyable about classical music. . .

The Enescu String Octet in C was likewise spectacular, and in many similar ways, though the piece itself was far different than any Mozart. The octet was very colorful – each voice in the ensemble was very distinct and unique. The dissonance grew and resolved over and over again, playing upon and highlighting all the different textures, timbres, and atmospheres that music in this setting (smaller group) can paint. . .

The final piece, Haydn’s Symphony No. 86 in D was rollicking and dramatic, and concluded the concert with the same liveliness and vigor that we’d enjoyed throughout. . . Each passage that threatened seriousness or a somber turn was countered with a dramatic pause, a lively counterpoint, or the sparkling minuet that reminded everyone not to take things too seriously.” Read the entire post from Rea here

Following the performance, the group gathered at Roat Osha and discussed what they had just experienced. There was conversation about the repertoire, the venue, and the formality of classical music events. Jeff Lin posts about this topic of formality in his blog, jefflin.net, and poses some interesting questions about how classical music could be perceived differently if performed in alternative venues or different time periods. Read what he has to say and let Theoroi know what you think on our Facebook page: facebook.com/theoroi

The group’s next event is on Friday, April 13 at The Cowles Center in downtown Minneapolis where they will be attending the James Sewell Ballet with The Parker String Quartet.

Read more posts and comments from the Theoroi group at theoroi.com, facebook.com/theoroi, and twitter.com/theoroiproject.