February 2024 Q&A

Pam Hahn and Vanja Gjumar Nikolovski

Looking back to January and forward to March, Maestro Nikolovski offers insight on the differences between playing Pops vs. Classical music.

Q:  It’s clear that our January 28 Neil Diamond Tribute concert last week was really successful from the audience’s response. You’ve worked with plenty of guest artists in the past for classical concertos. What made this different? Was it more complex? Why?

A:  Working with different artists brings new experience, new varieties for the orchestra and conductor. I don’t know if playing along with the band is more difficult, but I can tell that it requires lots of responsibilities. Extreme listening, following the band cues, just being super focused on the stage. Orchestra scores were surprisingly very advanced, so I am glad we had time to prepared. We fully deserved the reaction from the audience. Overall, it was so much fun. 

Q:  Since we don’t have a Classics Series concert in February, how are you preparing the orchestra for the March 17 concert? What is the music that you’re hoping to spend more time with in that preparation?

A:  Definitely the Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini requires lots of work, so I asked for an additional rehearsal. I am sure that this piece will take a good amount of our rehearsal time. Lots of tempo changes, rhythmic challenges, but also beautiful melodies and orchestration.

Q:  Pick a piece of music from the March program and give us some background on it, please. What was the composer’s motivation in creating this work? Is there anything we should know before the concert to help us appreciate the music better?

A:  It is always difficult to choose, but probably audience will easily recognize the grandiose Beethoven Fifth Symphony. Many theories about the opening motive were circulating around us, but what matters most is the enormous energy Beethoven provides during the movements. Despite the darkness following his private life, ending this symphony in a major key shows his inevitable desire for the better life, his hope and his faith, which are big parts of his personality.