Live concerts are just so great!
By Clare
We had a busy few days attending live concerts! This was the first time since the pandemic that we went to the Orpheum! Both times were exciting and fun!
First, we went to hear Evgeny Kissin! I’ve listened to many many of his recording and watched many of his interviews since undergrad, and FINALLY, I heard him live! The concert was absolutely great, and we both enjoyed it very much! It was also fun that he played 4 encores! Haha…. One of my students went as well, and she said she didn’t know he was going to play more encores after the first one. So we told her Kissin was known for many encores! I’m sure she will remember that for the rest of her life!
The second concert at the Orpheum last week was an orchestra concert featuring the Ravel Piano Concerto with Angela Cheng on the piano, and Beethoven Symphony No. 9.
Scott studied with Alvin Chow, who is Angela’s husband, back in undergrad, so he knew Angela very well! It was wonderful to hear Angela playing live again. This was the third day in a row she played. It was beautiful and we both love it! When I was doing my masters, for a period of time, I put the Ravel second movement on repeat everyday, so I know it quite well! The levels of colors Angela created were just beautiful! We truly enjoyed the performance!
The second half was Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The last time we heard this was also at the Orpheum, but with the UBC Choral Union, which was a lot bigger. When there is Symphony No. 9 on the program, Scott knows I will need a tissue. There is this spot in the last movement that always makes me cry! Let me tell you which spot it is……it’s after the soloists sing, and right before the big tutti comes in, where the first three notes of the Ode to Joy theme plays in major, and then right away in minor, then the Ode to Joy big tutti comes! That spot ALWAYS touches me. I always thought if I was an actress, I can easily cry on cue as long as they just play me this spot! Beethoven wrote the Ode to Joy in a way in disagreement with his destiny of losing his hearing. He believes the victory would still be his, and that he would end in triumph. His pride, his persistence, though suffering he was still fighting in his own way. Isn’t that just touching?! This moment always touched me in some way since childhood. Actually, Beethoven often makes me cry…another example would be when we play the Eroica Symphony the four hands version when we were live-streaming the year before…… I cried in every rehearsal we had! (Yes, I am a total cry baby…I can’t help it! 😂)
We had a great time, and of course meeting up with Angela and friends after the concert, talking about music and life was the best way to end the day. Live performance is something nothing can replace!
