Orchestra Offers U.S. Premiere of ‘Sunrise’

The Westmont Orchestra spotlights three of its talented students as concerto soloists in the Orchestra Concerto Concert on April 12 at 7 p.m. at Santa Barbara Community Church, and April 14 at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. Tickets, which cost $10 for general admission (students are free), may be purchased at the door. For more information, please contact the music department at (805) 565-6040 or email music@westmont.edu.

Orchestra concert-master and senior violin performance major Sierra Farrar will share an exciting rendition of the third movement of Violin Concerto No. 3 in D Major by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921). Juniors Junia Work (violin) and Logan Hodgson (cello) will perform concerto movements by Edouard Lalo and Josef Haydn.

The orchestra shares the U.S. premiere of the complete “Uilleann Sunrise” composed in 1997 by Australian Sean O’Boyle. “We have been working with the composer for the past year in preparing the parts and rehearsing this powerful tone poem that depicts the sunrise on a beautiful coastline somewhere in the world,” says conductor Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship, “complete with a rising and falling storm, the scattering of birds and the tranquil ocean. Perhaps the music will feel right at home in Santa Barbara.”

The concert will end with the final pieces of the original “Star Wars,” including John Williams’ triumphant “Throne Room and End Title.”