Orchestra at Temple Square's spring concert
The Orchestra at Temple Square, under the direction of Igor Gruppman, will perform its annual spring concert, A Spring Premiere, on Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19, in the Salt Lake Tabernacle at 7:30 p.m.
A Spring Premiere will open with Double Concerto for Violin and Viola by Dutch composer Paul van Brugge and will feature Vesna Gruppman on viola and Igor Gruppman on violin. Van Brugge composed this piece especially for the Gruppmans.
The second half of the program will have a romantic theme, with Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky and Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein.
"We are deeply grateful to our dear friend Paul van Brugge for his artistry and genius in composing this new work," said conductor Gruppman about the concerto. "We are very excited to be premiering the piece here in Salt Lake City with the Orchestra at Temple Square that we love so much. It will be a delightful experience for us and we hope for our audience as well."
Van Brugge said he is privileged and honored to collaborate with the Orchestra at Temple Square.
"The fact that the world premiere of my double concerto is performed in Salt Lake City, by such an important orchestra in such a wonderful concert hall, makes this an even more special event for me," Van Brugge said. "I know the orchestra has a great and dedicated audience, and I hope to be able to capture them with my music."
The Orchestra at Temple Square is a professional quality group of volunteer musicians. Started in 1999, under the administrative direction of then-LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, the orchestra has become a nationally-recognized symphony orchestra. The repertoire for this concert was selected specifically to show the breadth of musicianship represented in the orchestra as a whole.
Tabernacle doors will open at 6:30 p.m. the evening of the concert. Tickets are required but are free to the public and are limited to those 8 years of age and older. They are available at www.lds.org/events or by calling 801-570-0080 or toll-free 1-866-537-8457.
