City College’s 17-piece chamber choir created cinematic textures that echoed across the 150-year-old First United Methodist Church in downtown Santa Barbara Saturday, Oct. 28.
The showcase “From Russia With Love,” which was the third show part of City College’s Fall Concert Series, was a reference to Ian Fleming’s spy film and to honor the famous Russian composers Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Igor Stravinsky and Dimitri Shostakovich.
A handful of City College’s music faculty joined each other center stage to introduce the special showcase. Dr. John Clark, chairman of the music department, dedicated the show to the previous dean, Alice Perez, who was recently appointed to the position of Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
City College’s trombone choir opened up with an impactful “Pictures Of An Anthem,” by Modest Mussorgsky and Alexander Alexandrov, which was conducted by Cody Anderson.
The trombone choir featured City College music majors Michael Dolin and Douglas Swayne, along with 15 other students and adults
Clark joined violinist Valerie Malvinni on stage to perform Stravinsky’s “Tango For Violin And Piano.” Clark and Malvinni’s instruments were perfectly in sync with each other, and shaped into a beautiful and eerie soundscape.
Four songs into the setlist, City College music professors James Watson and Eric Heidner, alongside students Luke Johnstone and Stephen Hughes and Douglas Swayne, performed “Brass Quintet No.2 Op.6.”
After the brief intermission, Erin Bonski returned to the piano to perform an engaging piece titled “Prelude In C Sharp Minor Op.3, No.2” by Rachmaninoff. Bonski’s two-handed arpeggios were so fast that every note seemed to strike her whole body like a shock wave.
Pianist Anne Wegner and flutist Linda Holland were highlighted in a four-part piece called “Sonata For Flute And Piano Op.94,” by Prokofiev. Holland is a City College music faculty member whose performances have been internationally recognized, and her strong musicianship was shined through.
The evening came full circle with the trombone choir concluding with Shostakovich’s “Symphony No.5 IV. Allegro.” Cody Anderson’s engaging and elaborate arrangements peaked during every crescendo throughout the song.
The numerous musicians and powerful instrumentals made this Chamber Hall the most eclectic showcase thus far from City College’s Fall Concert Series.
The next performance of the City College Fall Concert series will be the Chamber Winds Concert at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Fé Bland Forum. Admission for the event will be free.
