Two of the incredible piano performance professors, Dr. Chi-Chen Wu and Dr. Theresa Bogard will be performing the Poulenc concerto of two pianos in the company of orchestra.
The University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra is going to mark the beginning of the holiday season at Buchanan Center Concert Hall at 7:30 pm, with a little touch of Piano, Orchestra and Paris.
Michael Griffith, Director of Orchestra Activity at UW got an idea of combining the concert together. He wanted to program some music that was fun, enjoyable to fit the atmosphere of the holiday season.
“I have this weird ways of putting concert together. This is our second concert this semester. I wanted to do this concerto for two pianos by the French composer Poulenc,” Griffith said. “Well Poulenc is French and 20th century so I thought I should do some Mozart with that. But, then to make it work I choose a piece that Mozart wrote for Paris so these things hooked together in an interesting way.”
Born in Taiwan, Wu has been playing piano since she was five years old and has earned a master and doctorate degree in Piano performance from New England Conservatory of Music. She teaches Keyboard Literature as well as Historical Performance Practice at UW.
“This is not a very usual combination, you don’t see this kind of orchestra very often but this piece is one of the most popular double concertos,” Wu said. “I actually played Mozart Concerto with Symphony Orchestra before, but this is the first time we are doing a concerto with two pianos. Basically, we have two solos and with the symphony orchestra.”
Along with Poulenc: Concerto for Two Pianos. The fall concert also includes Mozart, Symphony No. 31, Paris; Guzzo, Wyoming Voices; Saint-Saens, Bacchanal from Samson and Delilah. Griffith arranged the concert in such a way that it gives audience a touch of Paris along with the feeling of season of joy.
“So, the Mozart is exciting but is not a really big ending and the Poulenc is exciting but not a really big ending so this French piece by Saint-Saëns, Bacchanal from Samson and Delilah, it gets faster and faster and more and more exciting,” Griffith said “So, I thought that will be a really good way to end the concert.”
The money raised by the tickets fee will directly go to the music department to support the other concerts.
“There are a lot of expenses that goes into a concert and so the ticket revenue helps a little bit. It doesn’t cover much but helps a little bit,” Griffith said.
Piano concertos are heavy music which makes the audience feel the intense emotion in a serious note, but Griffith organized the music in such a way it ends with a cheerful and happy mark to make the audience fell the beginning of the holiday season.
The orchestra does two concerts every semester but this particular combination of music has never been performed at UW history.
“It’s a really happy and exciting to play. It’s like a joy. Like wooohoo!!!” Bogard said.
She has been playing piano for 53 years. She played the piano before she could even read words.
“I am not nervous at all I am very happy to be doing this one. I have played a long time, and this is a fun appealing piano concerto,” Bogard said. “Piano concertos are [heavier] as music, they are cause to feel intense emotion. This is a piece that’s like, yeah! I am so happy! It’s kind of piece that makes you feel alive and happier emotion.”
Griffith is looking forward to the performance.
“I think it’s going to be a fun concert, lots of classical music but very much on a serious side. It’s fun and cheerful and quick and elegant,” Griffith said. “People who have never been to a classical concert should come and give this a try.”
