ADAMO’S HARP CONCERTO TO RECEIVE UTAH PREMIERE WITH LOUISE VICKERMAN AS SOLOIST

Louise Vickerman Courtesy Utah Symphony

When John Corigliano gave Louise Vickerman a CD of Mark Adamo’s new harp concerto, “Four Angels,” and told her she should play it, Vickerman’s reaction was “Mark who?”

“At that time I wasn’t aware of it or of the composer,” said the Utah Symphony’s principal harpist in a phone conversation recently. That was at the Cabrillo Festival a couple of years back. Vickerman took the CD and put it in her bag. A day or two later she was sitting backstage with her laptop. “I put the disc in and listened to it. And I couldn’t stop listening to it. I absolutely loved it.”

When she got home after the festival, Vickerman contacted the publisher to get the part. Around the same time she was approached by Utah Symphony CEO Melia Tourangeau about doing a concerto. “I said, ’Yes!’ and told her I wanted to do Mark’s concerto.” The next step was finding a spot for it this season. “(Thierry Fischer’s) weeks were already filled, so Melia threw out names of guest conductors. I told her I had mentioned doing a concert with (Keith Lockhart) before he left. He was available and interested in doing it. That’s how it came about. Sort of coincidentally.”

Vickerman will be playing the concerto at the Utah Symphony’s concerts in Abravanel Hall on Jan. 28-29. Also on the program are selections from the two suites from Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” and the complete “Pulcinella” ballet by Igor Stravinsky.

“Four Angels” was commissioned by the National Symphony which premiered it in June 2007 under the baton of Leonard Slatkin with the orchestra’s harpist, Dotian Levalier, as soloist. The performance by Vickerman and the Utah Symphony will only be the second time it has been played, but Vickerman hopes the concerto will find a permanent place in the repertoire. “There are not that many good harp concertos,” she said. “Most are just crap. They’re played once and you never hear them again.” But the Adamo concerto is a winner in Vickerman’s book.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Reverie

Each of the four movements in the work relates to a different heavenly being from different religions, and this definitely colors the music, Vickerman said.

The work also dispels many myths about the harp. “People think of the harp as a dainty instrument. You associate it with tea at the Grand America Hotel. But this piece is nothing like that. It has nothing to do with angels on Christmas cards. This is a kick-ass work that’s going to revolutionize how Utah audiences perceive the harp.”

It’s scored for large orchestra with an extensive array of percussion. “It puts to rest the myth that a harp can’t be heard over the orchestra.”

There are a lot of special effects that make the piece “fun and exciting,” Vickerman said. “But it’s not a flashy showpiece. It’s not an easy work but it’s well written and has some beautiful moments.” The slow movement, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Angelic Queen, contains the work’s loveliest writing, Vickerman said.

She also said that she’s thrilled to introduce a new piece to Utah audiences. “It’s exciting, especially because I think everyone will enjoy it. It’s not avant garde or high brow. It gives you a new appreciation of the harp in a solo capacity.”

CONCERT INFO:

Location: Abravanel Hall

Time and Date: 8 p.m., Jan. 28-29

Tickets: $15-$50 ($5 higher when purchased on day of performance)

Phone: 801-355-2787 or 888-451-2787

Web: utahsymphony.org

ALSO: Finishing Touches, Abravanel Hall, 10 a.m., Jan. 27, $15, 801-355-2787 or 888-451-2787, utahsymphony.org

ALSO: Val A. Browning Center, Weber State University, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 27, $14-$34, 801-399-9211, symphonyballet.org

This entry was posted in Concert Previews by Edward Reichel. Bookmark the permalink.

About Edward Reichel

Edward Reichel, author, writer and composer, has been covering the classical music scene in Utah since 1997. For many years he served as the primary music critic for the Deseret News. He has also written for a number of publications, including Chamber Music Magazine, OPERA Magazine, 15 Bytes, Park City Magazine and Salt Lake Magazine. He holds a Ph.D. in composition from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He can be reached at ed.reichel@gmail.com. Reichel Recommends is also on Twitter @ReichelArts.

1 thought on “ADAMO’S HARP CONCERTO TO RECEIVE UTAH PREMIERE WITH LOUISE VICKERMAN AS SOLOIST

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention ADAMO’S HARP CONCERTO TO RECEIVE UTAH PREMIERE WITH LOUISE VICKERMAN AS SOLOIST | Reichel Recommends -- Topsy.com

Leave a Reply