Echos of Nostalgia
SARATOGA — The Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra (SSSO) invites music lovers to embark on a journey of nostalgia and storytelling with “Reminisce,” the second installment of its 2024-25 season series.
Performances are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 25, at Universal Preservation Hall (UPH) in Saratoga Springs and Sunday, Jan. 26, at Proctors Theatre in Albany, promising audiences an evening of evocative compositions and captivating artistry.
“Each year, I try to pick a central thematic idea for the season,” said Artistic Director and Conductor Glen Cortese. “I think it’s interesting for the audience that they’re coming to each individual concert, but there’s an overarching idea to the season… All of the pieces in the program reflect the main idea of the concert.
“Once I have that concept in mind, I start to say, ‘What repertoire will make sense to fill that larger goal?’” he added. “You’re coming to hear a concert, but you’re also going to learn about music and how those things fit into this larger idea.”
The program for “Reminisce” includes Snider’s “Eye of Mnemosyne,” which will be accompanied by a film exploring the cultural significance of photography in advancing American storytelling. Mendelssohn’s “Symphony #4” carries the theme of reminiscence through its meditation on Italian musical influences.
The program also features renowned violinist Lara St. John performing Kennedy’s “Czardashian Rhapsody,” St. John and Paranosic’s “Djelem Djelem,” “Opa Cupa,” and “Laruška.”
Canadian-born violinist St. John began playing the violin at the age of two and first appeared as a soloist with orchestras at age four. Internationally recognized for her musicianship, she was invested with the Order of Canada in 2021 for her service to society and innovations in music.
“Lara is a world-class soloist,” said Cortese. “She’s been with about every major orchestra in the United States and many throughout the world. She’s quite an accomplished artist as someone who has commissioned a lot of works from composers, so she’s a strong advocate for new music as well.”
Each show will feature a pre-concert talk with Cortese and St. John. The pre-concert talk will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, at UPH, and at 2 p.m. at Proctors on Sunday, Jan. 26.
“I think with anything that we do, what I hope the audience gets out of it is a larger understanding of what an orchestra does, what our function is in the community, and why they are going to a concert,” noted Cortese.
“When I do my pre-concert talks, I try to give them some information and music that will answer that question and show them what the value is, what the experience is about, and what they’re taking away from this, in addition to the fact that they’ve just had an enjoyable experience listening to music,” he continued. “But it’s more than that; I try to make the experience more than just hearing a concert.”
The final two parts of the season will explore the themes “Reach” on Sunday, March 2, and “Remember” on Sunday, April 13. “Reach” will feature John Musto performing “Litany,” “Piano Concerto #2,” Debussy’s “Children’s Corner,” and a performance by vocalist Ann Marie Adamick of Gustav Mahler’s “Songs of the Wayfarer.”
The series will conclude with “Remember.” Verdi’s “Requiem” will be featured alongside special guests, including the Octavo Singers of Schenectady, soprano Jennifer Forni, mezzo-soprano Kate Reese-Lerner, tenor Lucas Levy, and bass Andrew Boisvert.
“The folks in Schenectady are so lucky to have so many things going on at Proctors and in Saratoga at Universal Preservation Hall,” praised Cortese, highlighting the theatres as “terrific cultural resources” within the community. “I hope that they all go out and take advantage of these events, especially our concerts, and all of the things that they have available to them in the community.”
