As the winter rolls in, the Slavic Studies Department has jumped into action, putting together a three-part Russian Arts and Music Festival. Tony Lin, a C3 Post-Doctoral Fellow, teaches Russian language and literature. He also has a passion for music, having received an undergraduate degree in piano performance. He teamed up with Wendy Moy, Director of Choral Activities and Music Education at the College. She and Lin share a common passion for both music and Russian: she teaches in the Music Department and studied Russian in college. The Lin-Moy team, with their mutual enthusiasm and the aid of the Fund for Faculty and Student Engagement, organized a Russian Arts and Music Festival between November and December. The first night was held on Nov. 15, in Harkness Chapel. There will be two more evenings of activity on Dec. 3 and 4.
On the pleasant afternoon in November, there was a steady stream into the chapel. The event was open to the campus and larger New London communities. The program at the door was written in both English and Russian. As the songs were sung in Russian, translations were given.
As the event got started, Moy gave a brief introduction to describe the setup of the upcoming performances. She thanked all the individuals who contributed to the organization and those who were to perform. Then she conducted the Chorale in two pieces: “Song of Good Cheer,” a Ukranian carol arranged by Mykola Leontovich (1877-1921), and “Rejoice, O Virgin” by Arvo Pärt (born 1935). As the singers opened their mouths, music bounced off the stained glass windows. They harmonized beautifully.
In the next two performances, the Camel Heard joined the Chorale to perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s (1873-1943) “Rejoice, O Virgin” and a piece from Georgy Sviridov’s (1915-1998) A Pushkin Wreath Cantata. Three individuals also became the focus of the compositions: Maksim Ivanov, a baritone and a voice instructor at Conn, Stephanie Foster ’18, a soprano, and Kristina Toro ’17, an alto. The highs and the lows balanced each other beautifully.
In the third set, the baritone, Ivanov, sang five pieces accompanied by the piano, played by Patrice Newman: Mikail Glinka’s (1804-1857) “I Remember a Magical Moment,” Alexander Borodin’s (1843-1884) “For the Shores of the Distant Homeland,” Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s (1844-1908) “Through the Parting Chain of Clouds,” Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s (1840-1893) “Amid the Noisy Ball,” and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “When Yesterday We Met.” The pieces were sung with magnificent range.
The next work was a duet, the first movement of Alexandre Tcherepnine’s Sonata Sportive, Lutte. Elizabeth Jannery ’17 played alto saxophone and Newman played the piano. This was the most upbeat performance of the evening.
Joshua Thomas, the saxophone instructor at Conn, and cellist Cara Cheung followed. Thomas started the performance of Denisov’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Cello, with a description of Edison Denisov’s work. It is categorized in a formal style, but, it was said, that he could not know his own tenant style. He wanted his music to be alive, so he challenged himself to produce works that would constantly change. There may be a section in 7/8, then quickly change to 6/8, and then into a completely different rhythm. It changes from high to low – drastically. All of the variability made it a very engaging piece as a listener.
The final set of pieces was experimental. Ian Frenkel, a pianist, played “Russia and Jazz: Improvisations on the Themes of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #3 (1st Mvt),” Irving Berlin’s “Tin Pan Alley Russian Lullaby,” and the Soviet Era classic by Soloviev, “Sedoi Midnight in Moscow.” These were really fun to listen to because they each took the artistry of the Russian composers and combined it with the rhythm of jazz.
Overall, it was a great performance. The weekend in December should be a success! The events will be slightly different though – more all-encompassing. On Dec. 3 and 4, students and faculty will perform more music. But Conn students will also present about Russian visual art, with Yale University Associate Professor Molly Brunson serving as respondent. Professor Emily Frey Giansiracusa, of the University of Georgia, will also give a lecture on Dec. 4 about two figures in nineteenth century Russian: the writer, poet and painter Mikhail Lermontov and the musician Anton Rubinstein.
This is an excellent showcase not only because Russian culture is fascinating, but also because it is brings so many people together. There are painters, singer, musicians and researchers. There are students, faculty, staff and New London community members. All are passionate and all have something to share.
