Guest performers add flavor to recital

Faculty members and students performed four new compositions.
By JEROME K. STEPHENS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown Symphony Orchestra Masterworks series concerts occur only once a month, but for those who watch for them, there is quite a lot going on in between times, much of it at Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music. One of those events happened Wednesday in the Bliss Recital Hall at YSU, a recital under the auspices of the New Music Society.
The central presentation was a work that goes by the mundane title "Quintet, Op. 39," by Sergei Prokofiev, one of the musical giants of the 20th Century. It was performed by five guests from Pittsburgh who were sponsored by the YSU Student Government. These were Laura Motchalov, violin; Randolph Kelly, viola; Micah Howard, bass; Jack Howell, clarinet, all members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Scott Bell, oboe, of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra.
Randolph Kelly is the Principal Violist of the Pittsburgh Symphony, and Micah Howard is a graduate of the Dana School of Music. It was a real treat to be able to watch experienced professionals at work close up.
Diverse styles
Prokofiev's compositions are very diverse in their styles. They ranged from the traditional form of the "Classical Symphony" to the experimental forms of the "Quintet." The latter was the result of a commission from a group called the Wandering Ballets of Romanov. It was originally a ballet of circus life titled "Trapeze."
Prokofiev may not have been comfortable with the modernism of the time, as exemplified by the compositions of Stravinsky. Actually, I found the composition to be quite melodic, even though some might find the harmonies a bit strange.
Also featured were faculty members and student performers and composers in a variety of modern compositions. Four of these were world premieres. These were "Solo Sonata" for flute by graduate composition major Jason Evick, which was performed by Dana graduate student Eduardo Mandujano-Aguilar, and "Sonatina in Two Movements" by Sophomore Ryan Coffey, performed by Melissa St. Thomas on the flute and Lori Flowers on the clarinet. The others were "Two Essays for Cello" by Dana faculty member Till Maclvor Meyn, played by Dana alum Greg Kinat, and "Three Movements for Piano Duo" by graduate composition student Nevin Brian Rosen. This was performed by Jaime Lewis and Jerry Rezanka.
Other compositions
Other modern compositions were also featured. Jason Evick is studying classical guitar performance and demonstrated his proficiency in the very contemplative work "All in Twilight," movement 1, by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, and "Koymbaba," movements 1 and 2, by Carlo Domniconi. There was also a very experimental and contrapuntal composition, "Sequenza for Solo Flute," by Italian composer Luciano Berio. Grauate student Pamela Murchison performed this work, which required much dexterity to play.
The recital was opened by faculty member Robert Rollin. He composed a work titled "Passover Songs," based on Jewish folk songs, and scored for piano and violin. Wednesday was the first chance he had to perform it. He was accompanied by Gwyneth Rollin on the violin.
It was an evening that was considerably more than just entertaining. All performers were excellent, and the new presentations by the Dana faculty and students were more than just interesting. It would appear that the future of the musical arts in the Mahoning Valley are in good hands.