On Sunday, February 12th, the Daytona Beach News-Journal Center hosted Daytona State College’s Orchestra.
The concert, which was postponed due to Hurricane Ian, was conducted by the charismatic Constance Lytle. She called the show a “pre-Super Bowl concert,” which the audience found hilarious, and she had plenty more jokes in between pieces.
The orchestra played five pieces. They started out strong with a glorious rendition of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, also known as “Emperor,” with solo pianist Alessandro Fonseca stealing the show. He played with so much concentration and dedication. Fonseca wasn’t simply tickling the ivories; he became the piano itself.
The strings and wind sections were phenomenal. Although the wind section was hard to see, due to their location upstage, one could still hear their addition.
The way Lytle and Fonseca worked together was a symphony in itself. According to Lytle, Fonseca had even stepped in for her during a rehearsal that she couldn’t make.
After the concerto, there was a brief intermission as the orchestra prepared for the rest of the show. The ensemble followed intermission with an instrumental “Happy Birthday” for violinist Donna Hauge’s 94th birthday. The audience sang along and cheered for her.
Next was an original composition by Robert Washburn titled “St. Lawrence Overture,” a tune about smooth sailing down the St. Lawrence River with “occasional waves,” according to Lytle. Enhanced with percussion, the song felt like those “occasional waves” were pretty massive, and by the end, the boat capsized, in a good way, of course. All in all, ‘twas a jolly ditty.
Afterwards, things got a little strange. They played the Avengers theme song, which seemed very out of place. In my opinion, it just didn’t fit the concert’s vibe.
I felt like I was transported into a very formulaic, but sometimes entertaining, superhero movie. Also, it’s a very basic choice. Everyone wants to play the Avengers theme song, and I was not there to hear it.
The band ended the show with the “Sabre Dance,” a chaotic tune that makes you want to jump out of your seat and start dancing.
In the end, I was satisfied with the performance. Everything was played well, and it made me want to pick up the violin again. I give it an 8 out of 10, knocking two points off for the Avengers song.
Other than that, it was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. So, if you want to add a bit of live music to your day, mark your calendars for March 2nd at 7:30 p.m. for the Instrumental Extravaganza, to be held at the Daytona Beach News-Journal Center.
It is a ticketed event, but DSC students and faculty get in free with proper school identification. So, come on out and support your fellow students.
Paige Reckenwald
Contributor