Fort Bend Symphony Presents A Trio Of Master Works

Posted on Feb 1, 2013 in NEWSWORTHY
Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra musicians Jami Thomson, Sean Huston, Ryan San Miguel andHaley Packer take a break from rehearsals for the February 17th Orchestral Masterworks concert. Photo by Charles Lin.

Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra musicians Jami Thomson, Sean Huston, Ryan San Miguel and
Haley Packer take a break from rehearsals for the February 17th Orchestral Masterworks concert. Photo by Charles Lin.

Following a fall of holiday-themed concerts, the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra (FBSO) welcomes spring with Orchestral Masterworks featuring a trio of works by the great composers Ravel, Sibelius and Elgar. The February 17th performance, under the musical direction of Dr. Héctor Agüero, begins at 2 pm at the Stafford Centre, 10505 Cash Rd in Stafford.

The concert opens with the beautiful “Karelia Overture” by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. This nationalistic piece celebrates the simple but noble spirit of the people of Karelia, a historical province of Finland that is now divided between Finland and Russia. Also featured is Maurice Ravel’s “Pavane pour une infante défunte,” a piece that suggests how a princess would have danced a slow processional in the Spanish courts in earlier times. Both the original piano composition and the orchestral version that followed express the enthusiasm of Ravel, a French composer.

The first half of the concert concludes with the winner of the FBSO Young Artist Concerto Competition. The second half of Orchestral Masterworks is devoted to Edward Elgar’s Variations on an Original Theme for Orchestra, commonly called Enigma Variations. History holds that Elgar began playing a theme on the piano, then altered it slightly to reflect the characteristics of his friends. The resulting composition features 14 people in the variations, starting with Elgar’s wife and ending with a self-portrayal.

“Although FBSO concerts always include classical music, this is the first one since I became music director in 2008 that features all classical music,” said Agüero. “Orchestral Masterworks is a wonderful opportunity for our audience to listen to and enjoy music they might not know. The program will also provide a great challenge for our players! They have asked for a program like this, so I’m excited to finally have a program for their needs.”

Adult tickets are $12 and $17. Discounts are available for seniors 55 and over, students, military and groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available at fbso.org or by calling 281-276-9642.