Christopher Theofanidis’s Drum Circles, given its local premiere on the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s recent Brahms/Haydn Masterworks concert, “starts with a literal and figurative bang,” writes Jessica Rudman in Monday’s (11/18) Hartford Courant (CT). “The piece commands attention from the moment the soloists take their positions at an impressive array of percussion equipment through the work’s gorgeous ending.… The featured soloists are four members of the Percussion Collective: Victor Caccese, Ayano Kataoka, Doug Perry and Svet Stoyanov. They were outstanding…. Music Director Carolyn Kuan and the HSO also were at their best… This was the standout piece on the program and surely will be one of the highlights of the season…. The HSO is part of a consortium of elite orchestras that commissioned ‘Drum Circles.’ … Commissioning is essential to keeping classical music a living tradition, and the HSO’s participation in this consortium shows its commitment to shaping the art form’s future. Additionally, commissioning a local composer—Theofanidis is based in New Haven—ties into the HSO’s current ‘Music Builds Community’ initiative. In commissioning, programming and performing works like ‘Drum Circles,’ Kuan and the HSO show their ability to serve as leaders in the field of orchestral music.”
Posted November 20, 2019
