Hochstein Alumni Orchestra Debuts Original Score That Memorializes Eastman Tragedy

Hochstein Alumni Orchestra Debuts Original Score That Memorializes Eastman Tragedy

Saturday, January 7, 2012 7:30 pm

 

Evan Meccarello conducts all-alumni of Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra in its second annual concert on Saturday, January 7, 2012 in the Hochstein Performance Hall. The concert features a world premiere by Hochstein alumnus Andrew Maskiell, who studies composition at the Eastman School of Music. His Elegy for Orchestra is a response to the death of a student in the fall of 2011 at Eastman. Also featured on the free concert is Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World."

 

Andrew writes of his thoughts on composing a piece for fellow Eastman student Shibai “Victor” Jia: Elegy is often simplified to a lament of someone who has passed away, though a teacher of mine, George Taylor, defined it as a piece that tells the story of one’s death: before, during, and after. I gravitated toward this definition much more and decided to adopt it for the piece early on. The first section is the image of someone beginning to tell Victor’s story. The middle section represents, what I think would have been, Victor’s inner anxiety and the eventual act that ended his life. The last section reflects how memories such as these never truly fade, but gain a certain acceptance that allows you to move forward with your life. The loss of youth is always extremely tragic, as the promise of tomorrow is held in them, but this was especially tragic given how accomplished and driven Victor was. He was bound to do great things with his education at Eastman and by saying it was a shame for him to have left so soon is an understatement.

 

The alumni orchestra includes current and former music majors from Nazareth College, Eastman School of Music, Oberlin College, Penn State, Rice University, Syracuse University, and Ithaca College.

Admission to the January 7 concert is free, however donations are accepted. The Hochstein Performance Hall is located at 50 N. Plymouth Avenue in downtown Rochester. For more information call the Hochstein office at 585-454-4596.

 

Biographies

Andrew Maskiell is a composer and violist born in the Rochester area. After spending a year and a half at the San Francisco Conservatory, Andrew is now studying at the Eastman School of Music. He has studied composition with Elizabeth Kelly, Conrad Susa, and David Conte and currently with Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon. He currently studies viola with George Taylor, while previous teachers include Margaret Coote, Jennifer Turbes, Susan Bates, Ethan Filner, and Melissa Matson. Piano instructors include Brian Preston and Alla Gladysheva, while Laurence Tallman has also been a large influence in Andrew’s musical studies. During the summer of 2011, Andrew attended the European American Musical Alliance directed by Dr. Phillip Lasser in Paris, France, where he earned honors in harmony and counterpoint.

 

Evan Meccarello, is recently returned from a conducting stint in Germany. He began his conducting studies in the Conductor’s Apprentice Program with the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra. He is a two-time Nazareth College Concerto/Ari Competition winner, performing violin concerti with the college orchestra in 2008 and 2010. In the summer of 2010, Evan studied opera conducting in Verona, Italy in the Opera Viva! Program. He was a conducting associate at the Conductor’s Institute of South Carolina in June 2008 and a fellow at the institute in June 2009.

Evan studies conducting with Professor Strelau and conducted the Nazareth College Chamber Orchestra and Nazareth College Symphony Orchestra. He has worked as the orchestra rehearsal conductor for Nazareth performances of Schubert’s Mass in G and Mozart’s Requiem.