Spring 2010 Concert in Chapel Hill
The major spring concert was presented in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, 19 May in Hill Hall Auditorium. There were almost 400 people in attendance.
After the UNC Alma Mater, led by Philip van Leith de Jeude, Michael Lyle took the baton for Beethoven's "Ruins of Athens" overture. The brass players, piqued because there were no parts for them in this piece, set up a mock greek temple and proceeded to attack it, and defender My Strow Hobgood, with blow-up plastic swords. Once the debris from the ruined Athens was cleared up, the orchestra proceeded with Herold's lively Zampa overture, complete with pirate outfits and eyepatches. The eyepatches were donned during one of the pauses, after which we could only play every other note, so we had to start over again sans eyepatches. The first half concluded with the familiar "Voices of Spring" waltz by Johann Strauss II.
Following the intermission, the strings played Per Brant's Sinfonia in d minor. During this piece, we discovered that the winds and brass had gone on strike, and they walked through the auditorium with funny picket signs. Apparently their demands were met, because they appeared on stage for the final number, Don Gillis' odd and entertaining Symphony 5-1/2 . This was one of the most challenging pieces we have attempted, and the players came through admirably. The final movement even ended together, possibly the very first time that ever happened!