Boston Concert Hall Cycle: Part Deux

As the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra Benefit Concert at Sanders Theatre approaches on Saturday, May 19, 2012, I reflect on my last concert performed at this elusive venue.

I cannot believe it has been almost 25 years. The Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra (GBYSO) allowed me to perform in three outstanding music halls in the area as a youth: Symphony Hall, Jordan and Sanders Theatre. And in my adult life, I've had the privilege of performing in Symphony Hall twice and Jordan Hall three times but Sanders Theatre has always escaped me.

On Saturday, May 19, 2012, in my 19th season as a member of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, the venues will come full circle. There is one catch: I will not be joining the orchestra on stage. My responsibilities as Marketing & Publicity will take precedence and won't allow me to finish my "Boston Music Hall Cycle." This role within the organization has grown immensely over the last couple of years. I must focus my efforts elsewhere and I have come to terms with not performing there again.

So I still have Sunday, June 14, 1987. That afternoon, as the Los Angeles Lakers were completing a 6-game series victory over the Boston Celtics to win the front end of back-to-back titles (the NBA's first in my then lifetime), I performed my last ever performance indoors* as a member of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. It was an amazing afternoon filled with energy and emotion as a four year journey ended with so many life experiences that I still continue to cherish. To this day, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 will always bring a smile when I play or hear it performed.

If I had a chance before the Benefit Concert on May 19th, I would like to look out from the stage and take a moment to remember what someone once said to me: Play every concert like it will be your last. For me, it will be 25 years for Sanders Theatre and counting.

(* We performed on the Hatch Shell Esplanade later that month and our Music Director, Eiji Oue allowed me to play for our last ever performance of that season. Oh, by the way, I'm also looking to get back on the Hatch Shell too...)

Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra: Parents Concert at Sanders Theatre - Sunday, June 14, 1987

01 Sibelius: Finlandia, Op. 26 - Repertory Orchestra



02 Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor
Julie Choi, violin
I. Allegro moderato
II. Romance - Andante non troppo.mp3



03 Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor
Julie Choi, violin
III. Allegro con fuoco – Allegro moderato (à la Zingara)



04 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
I. Andante sostenuto - Moderato con anima - Moderato assai, quasi Andante - Allegro vivo



05 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
II. Andantino in modo di canzona



06 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
III. Scherzo - Pizzicato ostinato - Allegro.mp3



07 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36
IV. Finale - Allegro con fuoco



08 ENCORE: Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol - IV. Scena e canto gitano - V. Fandango asturiano

Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra: Gala 29th Anniversary Concert - Sunday, April 12, 1987

01 Dvořák: Symphony No. 8, Op. 88 - I. Allegro con brio



02 Dvořák: Symphony No. 8, Op. 88 - II. Allegro ma non troppo



03 David: Concertino No. 4 for Trombone, Op. 4 - I. Allegro Maestoso



04 David: Concertino No. 4 for Trombone, Op. 4 - II. Marcia Funebre



05 David: Concertino No. 4 for Trombone, Op. 4 - III. Allegro Maestoso



06 Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major - I. Allegro non troppo



07 Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major - II. Adagio non troppo



08 Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major - III. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Oresto ma no assai



09 Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major - IV. Allegro con spirito

Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra: Holiday Concert at Jordan Hall - December 21, 1985

01 Till Eulenspiegel lustige Streiche, Op. 28



02 L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 - I. Pastorale


03 L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 - II. Intermezzo



04 L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 - III. Menuetto



05 L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 - IV. Farandole

Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra: Austria, Hungary and Yugoslavia Tour - Live in Belgrade: July 8, 1985

I recently transferred a cassette to CD of a performance for a friend who gave a recital in our home. Since I had that set up, I decided to go through some of my old tapes to see what I could find.

I ended up with this recording in 1987 at Tanglewood. I was a personal assistant to Eiji Oue that summer and it was his. The majority of the concert had been taped over and this is what remained. He needed the tape for something else so I grabbed the dual cassette boom box given by my parents as an early college gift and dubbed away.

I remembered sitting last stand 2nds and Thomas Kolbe's bow unraveled during the Stravinsky. He handed it to the back of the section so I could go off stage to grab another as standard practice dictates. I didn't get that chance to so I sat there during the Planets encore, first Mars and then Jupiter. I was disappointed that I didn't get to play in the two last pieces we would ever perform as a group together. But later I realized that I really never had a chance to sit back and hear us play. The encore was incredibly charged and emotional and I had the best seat in the house. 

And to top it off, Asadour came to me backstage after the concert and told me I had visitors. What? Fans? Here? On tour in a country I'd never been to in my whole life? It turned out to be my Mom's fellow Newton Public School colleague who was home for the summer and her and her husband made it to the concert. Wow!

Funny after 27 years, I clearly remember it like it was yesterday. But I guess that's what old people say, don't they? Ha!

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring - Part I. The Adoration of the Earth (excerpt) [2:30]



Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice - Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One) [17:17]

Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra: Winter Concert - Sunday, January 29, 1984 at 8:00 p.m.

02 Suite from the Water Music - I. Allegro
     George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)



03 Suite from the Water Music - II. Air
     George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)



04 Suite from the Water Music - III. Bourree
     George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)



05 Suite from the Water Music - IV. Andante
     George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)



06 Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759 Unfinished -  I. Allegro Moderato
     Franz Schubert (1797-1828)



07 Carmen Suite No. 1 - I. Prelude
     Georges Bizet (1838-1875)



08 Carmen Suite No. 1 - II. Aragonaise
     Georges Bizet (1838-1875)



09 Carmen Suite No. 1 - III. Intermezzo
     Georges Bizet (1838-1875)



10 Carmen Suite No. 1 - IV. Seguedille
     Georges Bizet (1838-1875)



11 Carmen Suite No. 1 - V. Les dragons d'Alcala
     Georges Bizet (1838-1875)



12 Carmen Suite No. 1 - VI. Les Toreadors
     Georges Bizet (1838-1875)



13 Hungarian March from Faust - Allegro marcato
     Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)



14 ENCORE: Hungarian March from Faust - Allegro marcato
     Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)