Concerts@Ohio State presents performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music at the Ohio State University, Sunday afternoons at 1 on Classical 101.
This week we'll hear selections from the 2015 Student Concerto Program, with soloists joining Marshall Haddock and the OSU Symphony.
First up is the world premiere of Big Metropolis by Russell Nagy. About the name: A hundred years ago I knew a professor of piano called Bela Nagy. He pronounced it Nahz, not Nay-gee. I don't know how Russell pronounces his name, so I did it both way, take your pick. I don't want his grandparents mad at me. If his name were Bobby Smith, Big Metropolis would still be a great piece.
We'll hear the lovely Poem for Flute American composer Charles Tomlinson Griffes. Penicillin cured many ills, but it wasn't around to save the millions who died in the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1920-1920 which carried off Griffes at the age of 36.
Not before he had amassed a fine catalog or works, worth knowing better, including The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan for crying out loud. Luke Shultz is the soloist here, with the performance conducted by Phillip Day. Not forgetting Shine Wu playing two movements of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto 2, and the Horn concerto by Reinhold Gliere with Devin Gossett. Shine Wu is studying nursing and teaching piano. They grow 'em smart at Ohio State.
For encores we have the OSU Wind Symphony playing the Gumsucker's March by Percy Grainger. Who wouldn't want to say "Gumsucker's March" on the radio? A lovely Ave Maria by Donizetti concludes the broadcast, with C. Andrew Blosser, tenor, Chai-wei Lee, baritone, and pianist Edward Bak. Something for everyone, one hopes.
We'll hear more from the Student Concerto performance, and from Messrs. Blosser and Bak in future programs. Now stop reading this and go back to the practice room. Jeez.
