Tuesday, April 8, 2014

The Nation's Concert Hall

     
     If you are a lover of classical music, I highly recommend a trip to The Kennedy Center. Picturesquely placed on the shore of the Potomac, the only down side to this cultural hub’s location is the short jaunt one must make from the Foggy Bottom Metro stop. I had the pleasure of hearing the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) perform Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 in D major, Dorman’s Frozen in Time, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95. The first and last pieces more commonly known as from “Haffner” and “From the New World”, respectively.
     Mozart is a beloved centerpiece of any classical connoisseur’s repertoire and Dvorak’s iconic symphony “From the New World”, inspired by his travels in America, has become a favorite, unsurprisingly, in America’s concert halls. I classify Frozen in Time as modern classical music, receiving its world premiere in 2007. It was commissioned for Austrian percussionist Martin Grubinger, who performed the piece with the NSO that evening. I believe modern classical music is a taste I have yet to acquire, but Grubinger’s impressive percussion skills brought tribal, chaotic, and melodious beats to life with his vibraphone and other assorted instruments. Until pointed out by Grubinger, the audience went unaware that the Israeli composer Dorman himself sat in our midst.
     Although my concert experience came with a ticket price, The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage hosts free performances every day after 6 pm. These performances provide the perfect opportunity to sample one of DC’s cultural treasures. On your way home, be sure to check out the neighboring Watergate Complex!

- Michael Ringle

 

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