It’s not every day that a musician of Vadim Gluzman’s
international stature stops in Columbia. Just a few weeks after Gluzman
performs with the University of South Carolina Symphony Orchestra the violinist
will be on stage with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Scottish National
Orchestra.
The violinist joins the orchestra Thursday, Sept. 22 to
perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major.
The concert opens with The Star
Spangled Banner and includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor. The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. at
the Koger Center.
Orchestra artistic director Donald Portnoy first brought Gluzman in to play with the orchestra a decade ago when Gluzman was in his 20s.
“His career has just blossomed,” Portnoy said.
Since then, Gluzman has returned regularly to perform with the university orchestra regularly, but he is in such demand that it’s not easy to get him.
“He really enjoys
coming here,” Portnoy said, “and he’s always a joy to make music with.”The USC Symphony is the only university or college level orchestra with which Gluzman performs.
“
I always like coming there and very much enjoy working with young people,” Gluzman said recently. “Another reason of course is Dr. Portnoy who is a musician of incredible integrity.”
I always like coming there and very much enjoy working with young people,” Gluzman said recently. “Another reason of course is Dr. Portnoy who is a musician of incredible integrity.”
A native of Ukraine, Vadim Gluzman began studying the violin at the age of seven. His family moved to Israel in 1990, where he met Isaac Stern who became a supporter and friend.
He has appeared regularly with the Chicago Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, and the San Francisco, Cincinnati, Detroit and Houston orchestras. His most recent recording of music by Max Bruch, released in March, was a BBC Music Magazine pick of the month for July.
Brahms wrote the 1878 concerto, his only violin concerto, specifically for the Joseph Joachim, a lifelong friend who provided the composer with advice when it came to the violin. The three movements are technically demanding with multiple stopping, broken chords, rapid scale passages, and rhythmic variation, but also contains tender lyrical passages and a touch of Hungarian folk rhythms.
A video of Gluzman performing the concerto can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBLeHSFuKuY
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor by Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music. Almost everyone knows the stunning four note, twice-repeated opening (short-short-short-long) motif. The composer began work on the symphony in 1804 and it was premiered to little notice four years later. A performance in 1810 though caught the attention of critic E.T.A. Hoffmann who called it “the indescribably profound, magnificent symphony.” From that point on the work has remained popular and influential.
All concerts take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Koger Center, Assembly and Greene streets, Columbia. Season tickets $115; $85 for seniors and USC faculty and staff; $42 for students. Individual tickets $25; $20 for seniors and USC faculty and staff; $8 for students. To purchase tickets call (803) 251-2222 or go to http://www.capitoltickets.com.
