‘Arabian Nights’ concert coming to PACE Center

Parker Symphony Orchestra will perform on May 19

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On May 19, conductor Rene Knetsch will lead the 70-member Parker Symphony Orchestra in a concert called “Arabian Nights” at the PACE Center.

In a recent talk for residents of Vita in Littleton, Knetsch described the program, with help from concertmaster/violinist Nadya Hill and cellist Cheri Swisher, who played passages of music from the program as he explained it.

“Bachinal Brasilieros # 5 for Soprano and Cellos” by Heitor VillaLobos begins the program. e text is Brazilian Portuguese, which is more melodic than European Portuguese. e multi-talented Hill, who also performs as a soprano, will sing the aria.

“Cuban Overture,” a tone poem by George Gershwin, will be included. It was rst performed on Aug. 16, 1932 at New York City’s Lewiston Stadium by the New York Philharmonic — in the rst all-Gershwin concert, with 17,842 attending. (Bigger than Red Rocks, Knetsch commented.) Hill, Parker Symphony’s

If You Go

The PACE Center box o ce is open noon to 5, Monday to Saturday. Tickets start at $24. 303-805-6800, parkerarts.org.

concertmaster, played a segment from it.

Next will be Carl Nielsen’s “Aladdin Suite opus 34.” He was a Danish composer who taught at the Royal Danish Academy until 1931. He played second violin in the Royal Danish Orchestra for seven years.

“Scheherazade” by Nicoloy Rimsky-Korsakov, one of his most famous works, tells the tale of the young woman who told stories for a cruel sultan. It had previously been his custom to spend a night with a young virgin, then kill her in the morning.

Scheherazade would always stop midway through her story, when the sultan would fall asleep and make him wait until the next night for a finish, then start another new one, again stopping midway. This continued for 101 nights, readers may recall. There is music that reflects the sultan’s anger

Knecht commented that he was not a big fan of having a theme in a concert, but this one does. He was charmed the first time he heard the work, less so now. Hill said it was fun and showed a spirit coming out of the First World War. Knecht’s wife, Lynn, also a Parker Symphony violinist, commented that is “very accessible.” She added: “We wouldn’t be playing this music if we didn’t have Cheri and Nadya.”

Knecht said that after the “Scheherazade” opening, the heavy music reflects the sultan’s anger — it’s increasingly difficult to play. Hill played the leitmotif from “Scheherezade,” a familiar theme, then heavy music portraying the angry king, a theme that has become familiar for angry kings ... a devil tone, repeated many times. “I find it difficult every time we play it,”

Swisher said.

“Nothing here is very simple,” Knecht agreed.

In the early part, the cello is Sinbad’s ship, with the violin playing on top ... e theme repeats in the fourth movement. He wrote the tri-tone on purpose, a “Devil tone,” Knecht commented.

Knecht taught at Arapahoe Community College for 17 years, he said.

He also told a bit about the upcoming fall season. “In October, we will perform the Beethoven Violin Concerto, with the concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Yumi Hwang Wang, playing on her 1748 Guadagnini instrument.” ey love the parks, trails, mountains and wildlife. However, they are not happy with the direction this state is headed. e couple, once married, will be moving to Texas where teachers are paid a lot better.

During a recent vacation, I was able to meet and talk with several people who are from the Denver area. What I found interesting is what they told me their plans for the future hold.

You see, they did not talk about a love for Colorado or Denver in terms of living day-to-day.

One family is changing. A couple is getting married. She has a daughter, and he has a young teenage daughter. e upcoming family of four will not be staying in Denver as their new life begins. Instead, they they cannot a ord to come together and live here.

He is a teacher. He said the salaries for teachers in Colorado are some of the worst in the nation. at means he is looking elsewhere.

Let that sink in. Texas, which makes the news regularly for politics in schools and other controversies, is about to gain a lovely family to improve their economy and communities.

Besides not being able to make it work on a professional level — the couple also said they cannot a ord to nd a home to come together as a new family. Costs are too high. Property taxes are high because of valuations — believe me, I have read mine. at means Texas will get a new-home purchasing family.

To stress, this is a family that contributes to our economy, attends our schools and has a truly positive impact on our local communities. is is a family we are about to lose.

Given current living conditions — they cannot stay here.