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Ludwig van Beethoven famously said, “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.”
The Livermore-Amador Symphony remains passionate about music and eager to share it, despite the pandemic forcing a halt to rehearsals and live performances.
“The symphony continues to reach out and support the community through online musical offerings,” music director Lara Webber said.
This month, the focus is Beethoven and his 250th birthday, with the symphony releasing several Beethoven-themed video projects on its website and social media pages.
Two videos present live recordings of recent Livermore-Amador Symphony performances at the Bankhead with new introductions by Webber. In a third, pianist Frederic Chiu is featured in a unique recital created for the symphony by Bay Area soprano Heidi Moss.
A video of Beethoven’s 6th Symphony (“Pastoral”) combines a recording of the symphony performing in 2018 with artwork embodying the sentiment of each movement and an introduction by Webber recorded in October.
“This performance is one of the finest Livermore-Amador Symphony has given, showcasing the dedication and talent of all our musicians, in particular our principal woodwind players,” Webber said.
A performance of Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto features pianist Gwendolyn Mok, who collaborated with the symphony in 2019.
“Gwen is a national treasure. Her talent is huge, her artistry is deep and forged in profound experience,” Webber said.
“In this video, we begin with a portion of our prelude conversation with a joyful Bankhead audience,” she continued. “The intimacy Beethoven creates in his music is unparalleled, running the range of emotion from dark introspection to bright exuberance and joy.”
A personal interview and performance by pianist Frederic Chiu are presented as “Beethoven’s Birthday Gift to the Livermore-Amador Symphony.”
“In homage to the performance we had planned of Beethoven’s monumental, revolutionary 5th Symphony, we present fantastic Frederic Chiu playing Franz Liszt’s extraordinary piano reduction,” Webber said. “Frederic would have been our soloist playing Prokofiev last May, and he will be with us as soon as we can get back to the theater. In the meantime, he generously offered his unique performance and perspective to share.”
A special digital highlight will be presented by Bay Area soprano Heidi Moss, who was to be featured in the opening of the symphony’s 2020-21 season celebrating Beethoven’s 250th.
“Heidi will curate and perform a short recital, recorded at home, featuring one of the Beethoven songs she would have performed with us at the Bankhead, ‘Ich Liebe Dich,'” Webber explained.
“I created a short set beginning with some of the first true lieder (songs) by Mozart and ending with a lied written by my husband (Bay Area composer Kurt Erickson),” Moss said. “We will be casual in our format and chat about each piece as we go.”
The symphony also has carefully collaborated in other ways. Members of the orchestra’s woodwind and brass sections performed safely outdoors at Retzlaff Vineyards for the Bankhead Theater’s innovative “Vineyard Vibes” series. And this summer, Webber launched a “Backyard Strings” program at her home.
“In full compliance with Alameda County Health mandates and guidelines, several string players, all masked, have joyfully made music together, overcoming physical distancing by extending the range of their listening abilities,” Webber said.
These recordings and more are available at www.livermoreamadorsymphony.org.
Board president Alan Frank is the audio and video engineer behind the Beethoven re-broadcasts.
“We’re having to build an entirely new and different business model, with new investments in technology and equipment,” Frank said. “This is not business as usual. We have all sorts of ideas for continuing projects and hope people will help support these projects with donations.”
Donations may be made through the website, livermoreamadorsymphony.org.
Patricia J. Boyle, past president of the California Writers Club Tri-Valley branch, has been writing about the Livermore-Amador Symphony for eight years.
