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DISCOVER! | NOVEMBER 12, 2016
Sounds | 15
KATE HARLOW | STAFF WRITER
A story told
through MUSIC
Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra concert on Nov. 15
Music surrounds us and some
of that music has a story to
tell.
That is what the Northwest Iowa
Symphony Orchestra’s first concert of
the 2016-2017 season at the BJ Haan
Auditorium at Dordt College on Tuesday,
Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m., is all about.
The title of this concert is “Here’s
the Story.”
The concert will feature “The
Moldau” by Smetana, “In Good King
Charles’s Golden Days” by Linda Robbins
Coleman (an Iowa composer),
“Fantastic Brillante on Themes from
‘Carmen’” by Borne featuring John
Bailey on the flute, and “Grand Canyon
Suite” by Grofe.
And, according to principal conductor
Christopher Stanichar, each of
these pieces has a story to tell.
“Orchestra music is broken down
into two categories: concert music or
absolute music. It’s more abstract and
it’s music for music’s sake,” Stanichar
explained.
“Like a Brahms’ or Beethoven
symphony. They don’t have a story
attached to it.”
On the other hand, programmatic
music comes with a story.
“Programmatic music is like a lot of
music. Sometimes it’s associated with
a movie, play or ballet. Sometimes
there is some kind of story to it like a
theme, or the music tells the story of
an event or a place,” Stanichar said.
“For example, we’ll be playing the
‘Grand Canyon Suite,’ which is very
descriptive of the canyon at different
times of day, during a storm, at
sunrise and sunset. You get immersed
into that place by the music. It’s just
like you are really there in the Grand
Canyon.”
This year, the Northwest Iowa
Symphony Orchestra is composed of
around 90 members and they have
been practicing for this concert for
weeks.
“I always like to push the orchestra
to play harder music and sometimes
that can be frustrating for the less
advanced players, but is fun for the
professionals,” Stanichar said. “This
is the most prepared they’ve sounded
for a concert in a few years.”
The Northwest Iowa Symphony
Orchestra features musicians in their
adult years as well as some gifted
musical students in middle school
through college. Some of those students
receive scholarships from the
Friends of NISO for continuing music
lessons.
Multiple concerts are given every
season, and the November concert is
always the Concert for the Children
where selections from the concert are
played throughout the day for young
students.
“We have around 1,100 kids coming
during the day and we play parts of
the concert for them. We explain the
music to the kids in the audience,”
Stanichar said.
“We always host this day because we
want to encourage involvement with
the future of the orchestra, which is
these kids.” F
At a Glance:
WHAT: Northwest Iowa Symphony
Orchestra Concert
WHERE: BJ Haan Auditorium, Dordt
College, Sioux Center, IA
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15
COST: $15 for adults, $5 for students
CONTACT: 712-722-6230
ONLINE: www.niso.dordt.edu
Concerts
Fall Concert: Nov. 15
Guest Concert: Feb. 4
Winter Pops Concert: Feb. 25
Spring Concert: April 11
Sioux Center | Iowa