Last Sunday afternoon's Concert at the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center was one of the best the Orchestra has performed! The audience sat enthralled as the musicians under the artful baton of Maestro James Domine, and the soloists, Jennifer Bliman and Aubree Oliverson, performed magically.
The program opened with Maestro Domine's exciting composition, "Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra." This piece is in three chronological contrasting moods: first is a "rock and roll" intro in three parts; the second movement is a jazz ballad arranged in the 1950's style of Nelson Riddle; and the third harks back to traditional classical concerti a la Mozart. The audience applauded and cheered Ms. Bliman's great performance. As an encore, and on the lighter side, she offered another type of magic by playing solo horn accompanied by the song "Music Music Music" on CD, and threw in some dance steps as well. The audience was delighted by this sampling from her fun "one woman" show.
The next selection was the rarely heard but very beautiful,"Violin Concerto in E minor," by the Russian composer Julius Conus. Performed by 17 year old Aubree Oliverson, a student at the prestigious Colburn Academy, the audience knew immediately that they were listening to something very special. Ms. Oliverson was, in a word, brilliant. Her exquisite playing, comfortable and confident demeanor, and charm will most definitely take her to the heights of success! This was her second appearance with the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra; it is hoped that she will perform with the Orchestra again in the near future. The audience made their appreciation known by bringing her back for three standing ovations.
Following intermission came the icing on the cake, "Beethoven's Symphony #5 in C minor." Maestro Domine led the Orchestra through the four gorgeous movements of this most favorite of all symphonies, and he and the musicians were, in a word, superb (kudos to the composer as well).
Praise was heard for the entire program, the Orchestra, and the soloists as the concertgoers left the music hall. If you were unable to attend, you missed a fabulous event.