JoAnn Lamolino The splendor and power of the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra’s brass section will be on full display on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. in the Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank. Led by Assistant Conductor Lucian Rinando, the orchestra will perform works by Copland, Haydn and Shostakovich. Trumpet soloist JoAnn Lamolino, a New Jersey native who recently won a position in the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, returns to her home state to perform Haydn’s “Concerto in Eflat Major” with the orchestra.
Aaron Copland’s “An Outdoor Overture,” which conjures images of the wide open spaces of the American West, will be first on the program. Typical of many of Copland’s compositions from the mid-20th century when he was crafting a new American sound, the overture features lyrical melodic lines punctuated by bold, brassy writing for the trumpets, horns and trombones.
Soloist JoAnn Lamolino will demonstrate her flawless technique and clarion high notes in a performance of “Concerto in E-flat Major,” one of the most wellknown and beloved concertos in the trumpet repertoire. Written for the newly invented “keyed” trumpet in 1796, the concerto calls for more virtuosity than the natural trumpets generally in use at that time were capable of, and as a result, the concerto is still a staple of trumpet literature.
The remarkable “Symphony No. 5” by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, written at the height of Joseph Stalin’s totalitarian regime, will conclude the program. At a time when composers, writers and artists in the Soviet Union were being persecuted, imprisoned, and sometimes even executed, it is likely that Shostakovich quite literally saved his own life by writing this work, which simultaneously satisfied the government’s standards for political correctness, while managing to stay true to his artistic vision. Running the full gamut of emotions, the work ultimately depicts the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Densely scored for a full complement of orchestral instruments, the symphony is particularly noted for its displays of brass pyrotechnics.
Over the past six seasons, Rinando has programmed a wide variety of music, shedding light on lesser-known works and bringing fresh interpretations to those works more often performed. Prior to the performance, Tom Avakian, Monmouth Symphony Orchestra bass trombonist and program annotator, will interview Russian-born pianist Vladislav Kovalsky and soloist JoAnn Lamolino in the theater at 2:15 pm. Kovalsky, who will perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” with the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra on April 7, had the privilege of meeting Shostakovich on several occasions, and will provide some interesting insights on what life was like for musicians in the communist Soviet Union. Lamolino, in the midst of her first season as a member of the Charleston Symphony, will share her experiences as an orchestral and solo trumpet player. These preconcert interviews, always fascinating, provide the audience with context and background and increase their enjoyment and appreciation of the performances.
Ticket prices are $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, and $5 for students.
For tickets, call the Count Basie Theatre box office at 732-842-9000. To learn more about the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra and its programs, visit the website www.monmouthsymphony.org.