Chamber Orchestra Commited to New Music – San Jose Classical Music Examiner March 4, 2009

By Beeri Moalem

Since its inception in 1991, the San Jose Chamber Orchestra (SJCO) has commissioned or premiered 75 new works. In an art form where only about six percent of the repertoire performed is contemporary (according to the League of American Symphony Orchestras’ annual report) this is quite an achievement in a genre obsessed with dead white men, mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Music Director Barbra Day Turner points out that this is a relatively recent phenomenon. “Historically, only contemporary works were performed.” Yet today, contemporary works are usually featured only when flanked by security war horses (i.e. as Brahms and Beethoven for the millionth time) that will keep the audience from fleeing the concert hall in case of modern music.

But Turner insists that “If new music is never played, music as a living art will die out.” How does an art-form expect to survive if it is fixated with the past and afraid of the present? The San Jose Chamber Orchestra, however, is not afraid to face the unknown. Every single concert in this year’s season features several works by living composers.

For their upcoming March 8th concert, the orchestra premieres Hyo-Shin Na’s Not the Object Alone, a composition for string quartet and string orchestra. Concertos usually feature one or two soloists, but when four are featured, a different set of challenges arise. There is a history to this genre, however: Arnold Schoenberg wrote a concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra 1933, Louis Spohr wrote one in 1845 (Op. 131 No. 1), Francesco Gemininani composed several in the 1730’s, as did a few others others. All present different solutions to the issues of such a piece’s balance, leadership roles, and instrumenteation but for whatever reason, the genre never really caught on to the standard repertoire.
With Sunday’s concert, SJSO marks the first in an annual series of concerts featuring an established string quartet and the orchestra. The projects starts with the Ives Quartet (Next season’s collaboration is with the Cypress Quartet, and a new work by Pablo Furman) who will perform an all-time favorite, Dvo?ák’s “American” quartet along with Ms. Na’s premiere. Turner calls the new work “breathtaking” and explains that it is about how “textural tapestry evokeing the interplay of object and shadow.”

In addition, the orchestra will perform two additional modern pieces: Lyric for Strings by George Walker (first African American composer to win Pulitzer Prize) and Rounds by David Diamond.

Turner admits “New works take more personal practice, more rehearsal time, more money, and it can be hard to promote the unknown.” These ads are common excuses for avoiding modern challenges, and it is great to see them tackled head-on. “Plus,” Turner adds, “it interests me.” Not exactly what you would expect from an expert on the harpsichord.

Despite, or as a result of, taking the tougher approach, the orchestra has been successful– even in “this economy,” SJCO is expanding its season. Why drive all the way to San Francisco for new music, braving traffic, crazies, and fog? We have great opportunities to hear exciting, interesting new music right here in the South Bay!