UVSO Fall Concert: Mourned by the Wind

Upper Valley Symphony Orchestra presents music by French, Georgian, and American composers 

The Upper Valley Symphony Orchestra presents a most unusual concert on November 23 at the Lebanon Opera House. The centerpiece of the concert is “Mourned by the Wind: Liturgy in memory of Givi Ordzhonikidze,” which was published in 1989 by Georgian composer Giya Kancheli. Kancheli was one of Georgia’s leading composers before the fall of the Soviet  Union, and wrote the “grippingly elegiac” (The Guardian) piece in memory of a musical colleague. According to Mark Nelson, UVSO conductor and musical director, the piece “invites close attention and induces a meditative quietness.” The piece is seldom performed. 

Written for orchestra and viola, this piece features UVMC’s viola instructor Jennifer Turbes as the viola soloist. Turbes earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College, followed by graduate studies at the Eastman School of Music, from which she holds the degrees Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music. “I love music that makes space for reflection, and Mourned by the Wind is a study in just that,” Turbes remarks. “The sounds unfold slowly out of an opening crash, carrying the listener gently but honestly through an emotional journey of loss, memory, and acceptance.”

Balancing the somber Kancheli liturgy, the program also includes a short brass fanfare, composed by Mark Nelson for trombone and horn. The orchestra will perform the iconic “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune” by Claude Debussy, described as a masterpiece of Impressionist composition and, by Maurice Ravel, “the perfect piece.” The composition was inspired by the poem “L’après-midi d’un faune” by Stéphane Mallarmé and is one of Debussy’s most famous works. Finally, the concert features the three movement of Suite #5 from William Grant Still’s The American Scene.  

Led by conductor Mark Nelson, the Upper Valley Symphony Orchestra is open to any community member, with no auditions. Members range from 16 to 91 years of age and come from all parts of the community: academia, agriculture, nonprofit, service and manufacturing industries, and those who are retired. Since 2008, players have found joy in learning great music together, finding their place within the ensemble, and performing for their neighbors in the Upper Valley.