Introduces new director of symphony orchestra
By Benjamin Smith
 |
| University of Rhode Island Symphony Orchestra conductor Luis Viquez directs an opera performance before his arrival at URI. Photo courtesy of Lynn Vidler. |
When the University of
Rhode Island Symphony Orchestra takes the stage this fall, it will introduce a
new director with a long resume of success.
A native of Costa Rica, Luis Viquez has been nominated
for a Latin Grammy for best classical music album along with winning the
American Prize In Orchestral Conducting. He is a versatile musician, having
performed as a clarinetist, in orchestral and opera ensembles, and has been a
wind band conductor.
Before coming to URI, Viquez was a professor at the
University of South Dakota for seven years, leading its symphony orchestra to
national and international acclaim. At URI, he is serving as the director of
orchestral studies and assistant professor in orchestral conducting.
“The convenient location of Rhode Island in an artistic
region that is more welcoming to minorities, specifically Hispanic people, was
very attractive to me and my family in deciding to move to New England,” said
Viquez.
One of Viquez’s main goals is to champion new music by underrepresented composers, while still programming the main works of the traditional orchestral repertoire.
“The orchestra program has a lot of potential to grow,
and can promote new voices coming from underrepresented backgrounds,” said
Viquez. “Starting this year, there will be a new series called ‘Before
the Music, Beyond the Notes,’ which will include pre-concert conversations
about the music before each orchestra concert.”
Viquez is an active guest conductor. He will travel to
Costa Rica in November to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra. He will also
travel to Nebraska in November to conduct the Nebraska all-state
orchestra.
Viquez encourages all those who play string instruments
to join the orchestra. The orchestra practices Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to
9 p.m. at the Fine Arts Center.
The orchestra’s first concert with Viquez conducting
will be Oct. 28. The main work for his first concert will be Antonin Dvorak’s
Symphony No. 8. Three more works will be played by the orchestra: “Dreams” by
Juan Guerra, who is coming to URI for the performance; “Empty Branches” by Deanna
Wehrspann; and Antonio Vivaldi’s concerto for violin and cello will feature two
international graduate students, Zeynep Balcia, a violinist from Turkey, and
Nancy Olivares, a cellist from Mexico.
Other ensembles have been hard at work as well preparing
for their first concerts of the fall season. All ensemble performances take
place in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall. Tickets for all concerts can be
purchased through Eventbrite or at the Box Office. General admission tickets
are $15, student and seniors 60 and older are $10; children 12 and under are
admitted free.
On Oct. 26, the Jazz Big Band will perform its first concert of the fall.
“The Big Band’s first concert this year is a tribute to
jazz composer and arranger Thad Jones,” said Emmett Goods, director of the jazz
program. “This is his centennial year.” The band will perform pieces that Jones
composed and arranged. “We have a dynamite band this year that will do an
amazing job presenting music in a way that both educates and entertains,” said
Goods.
The Wind Ensemble and Concert
Band will perform Oct. 27, but each group will play its own
unique program.
“The Wind Ensemble program is composed of
well-established standard wind band works from the 20th century by composers
Respighi, Persichetti, Barber, Milhaud, and Shostakovich,” said Concert Band
Director Brian Cardany. “The Concert Band will perform works by Ticheli,
Carter, Lo Presti, and Van der Roost.” There will also be a piece by Stephen
McNeff titled “Ghosts,” which will fit the Halloween mood.
On Nov. 16, the University Concert Choir will
hold its second annual afternoon concert. The concert is meant to be informal
with the goal of making people more comfortable attending concerts and,
perhaps, deciding to try out for the choir. During the performance, the choir
will perform samples of songs that will be sung during their final concert of
the semester. The concert is free.
“The concert will occur during a class period during that
afternoon so it gives students an opportunity to attend, and to also talk to
performers afterwards if they’d like to,” said director Mark Conley.
On Nov. 17, That Ram Marching Band will perform tunes from its Meade Stadium repertoire at Rhody football games. The band has performed its season-ending concert every year since 2002. “The band’s color guard will perform visual routines to the music,” Cardany said.