The Concerts

The inaugural concert of The Orchestra of St. John’s was held on November 9, 2008, and featured a tribute to the great British composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams.  The concert consisted of three of Vaughan Williams’ composition: the gently soulful Prelude to “Rhosymedre” performed by the Handbell Choir of St. John’s; the bountiful, melodious, and rhapsodic “The Lark Ascending” for solo violin and orchestra; and the passionate and spiritual “Fantasy on a Theme of Thomas Tallis.”  In addition, in honor of All Saints Day, the full orchestra and the combined choirs of St. John’s and The Episcopal Cathedral performed Morten Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna.”  The concert was critically acclaimed, and over 200 people were in attendance. Listen to an excerpt of “Fantasy on a Theme of Thomas Tallis:”

The second concert was held on March 15, 2009, and featured some of the most famous music written for a string orchestra.  It began with Bach’s “Brandenberg Concerto No. 3,” the only concerto written for nine string parts.  The concert continued with one of the most recognized pieces of music written by Mozart, the serenade, “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.”  Next on the program was the breathtakingly beautiful, “Adagio for Strings,” written by Samuel Barber, which is one of Barber’s most famous works.

Listen to an excerpt of "Adagio for Strings:”

The concert concluded with Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, “Serenade in C for Strings,” covering the full emotional range from the heroic and elegiac to the playful and passionate.  Listen to an excerpt:

This concert honored the music teachers of Howard County and involved the participation of award winning students playing in a side-by-side performance of the Tchaikovsky. A declaration of March 15 2009 as "Orchestra of St. John's Day," was presented by a representative of the Howard County Executive, the Honorable Ken Ulman.

The final concert was performed during the two Sunday church services at St. John’s, first at 9:00 AM and then at 11:15 AM on May 17, 2009. It featured the music of Bach with the combined choir, strings, and brass performing the most famous of his early cantatas, “Christ Lag in Todes Banden.” In addition, the concert included music from the Orchestral Suite No. 3, with the sublime “Air on a G String.”.

The Orchestra of St. Johns opened its second season with,. "Viva Italia!" held Sunday, November 8, 2009. Featured on the program were Ernest Bloch's Concerto Grosso #1, as part of the worldwide celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of the composer's death, and the ever popular,. "Four Seasons" by Vivaldi, featuring members of the orchestra as soloists, and Mendelssohn's sunny Symphony No.4 ("Italian"). You can sample from each movement of our performance of this symphony below:

First Movement:

 

Second Movement:

 

Third Movement:

Fourth Movement:

 

Third Season

The orchestra began its third season on November 14th, 2010, with "High Five!" a feast of famous fifth symphonies. The following video is an exceprt from the Adagietto from Mahler's Fifth Symphony.

Mahler Fifth, Adagietto

 

The program continued with Schubert's Fifth Symphony. Here is an excerpt from the beautiful slow movement.

Schubert's Fifth, Slow Movement



The concert concluded with the most famous fifth of all -- Beethoven's!  Here are the final minutes from the last movement.
Beethoven's Fifth, finale

 

Viennese New Year's Celebration

The orchestra celebrated the new year, 2011, with a Viennese New Year's Celebration concert featuring the music of Johann Strauss and others. In addition to the music, the packed, standing-room-only, audience got to enjoy live dancing in costume by members of the Howard County Ballet, and a video of "The Wonders of Howard County" with photos of the familiar and less familiar, from historic places to entertainment venues, to places of scenic beauty.  After the concert the audience was invited to a champagne-and-chocolate reception. The first excerpt from the concert is from  Johann Strauss Jr.'s  waltz, "Vienna Blood."

Johann Strauss II: "Vienna Blood"

The second excerpt is from Ivonovici's "Waves of the Danube," better known as the "Anniversary Waltz."

Ivonovici: "Anniversary Waltz"

The third excerpt is from Strauss's clever plucked-strings piece, "Pizzicato Polka"

Johann Strauss II: "Pizzicato Polka"

The final excerpt, with audience participation, is the traditional conclusion of the Viennese Celebration concert, Johann Strauss Sr.'s "Radetzky March"

Johann Strauss I: "Radetzky March"