By Merle Exit
Maestro Patricia Glunt and the Jackson Heights Orchestra will stage their February concert, the second of the season, at 4 p.m. Feb. 3 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 33-50 82nd St. The orchestra will present “The Four Seasons,” by Antonio Vivaldi.
Performing the concert will be the JHO strings, and featured violin soloists are Susan Metcalf, concertmaster of the JHO and South Shore Orchestra; Alison Kang, principal second violin with JHO; Claire Smith Bermingham, co-founder of the Baroque ensemble Queens Consort; and Natalie Kriegler, JHO member and artistic director of Capriccio Ensemble. “Each ‘season’ will be performed by a different violinist,” Glunt said.
Joseph Bartolozzi, ASCAP-award-winning composer and assistant conductor of the JHO, will join the JHO on harpsichord.
Along with the music, Vivaldi composed sonnets that represent each season. Bryce Bermingham, a Jackson Heights resident and professional stunt coordinator, will narrate the sonnets. For instance, here is the sonnet that describes the spring season:
Allegro
Springtime is upon us.
The birds celebrate her return with festive song,
and murmuring streams are
softly caressed by the breezes.
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar,
casting their dark mantle over heaven,
Then they die away to silence,
and the birds take up their charming songs once more.
Largo
On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches
rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps,
his faithful dog beside him.
Allegro
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes,
nymphs and shepherds lightly dance
beneath the brilliant canopy of spring.
Soloist Kang will lead a short pre-concert educational program for children as an introduction to classical music as a program, which will begin at 3 p.m. “We want to show the story aspect of this type of music and will be demonstrating a harpsicord, especially since many orchestras do not have one,” Glunt said.
The concert is a preview of the orchestra’s full performance on March 14 at St. Joseph’s in Astoria, which will include Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto and Hayden’s Symphony No. 104.
A reception will follow the Feb. 3 performance at St. Mark’s, and all are invited. Tickets are $20 and $10 for seniors, and students and children. They can be bought at the door on the day of the concert, in advance online at jhbg.org, or at Table Wine, 79-14 37th Ave., and Espresso 77, 35-57 37th St.
