Hundreds of attendees flooded the Morrison Center as the Boise State Symphony Orchestra lifted the curtains to the annual Fall Orchestra Concert.
The audience filled the seats of the auditorium, basking in the sounds of the classical all-string performance with pure admiration for the arts and talent of the students — the warmth of the stage lighting glittering in their eyes.
The elegant performance consisted of pieces originating from 1673 to 2011. From the blissful melody of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’s “Romance” in C major, Op. 42 to the whimsical lyricism of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber’s “Battalia à 10”, the dedication of the ensemble is evident.
“As music majors, practicing is part of our school,” said third-year Music major and bassist Sabrina Marie Thomas. “It does get challenging with school schedules or finding time between classes. A lot of people will come to school at 7 a.m. to practice before their 9 a.m. classes. Sometimes we’ll be here until 10 p.m..”
Thomas found her place in music at the young age of five and explored the “natural progression” of her passion for playing an instrument.
“The really amazing part about playing music is that we can create something that can change somebody’s emotion,” Thomas said. “There’s a [story] behind every piece that’s ever been written.”
Thomas reflected on the sense of the community among the ensemble and the group’s ability to connect through musical instruments and song.
“In orchestra, we only see each other 5 1/2 hours a week,” Thomas said. “I feel very connected with everyone in the room, and all we do is make music together; it connects us in a way that’s honestly unmatched.”
Musicians emphasized their excitement to work with fourth-year Music Performance major and clarinetist Maggie Burke, winner of the music department’s concerto competition.
Burke raved about her experience with the ensemble and the lifelong friendships she has formed over her time in the department.
“They’ve been so sweet and nice and much more friendly than I expected,” Burke said. “It’s so cool to see them grow as people, and I feel so close to everybody who’s in my classes and ensembles.”
Burke performed “Fantasia and Rondo” from Clarinet Quintet in B-flat Major, Op. 34 as the department’s soloist. Audience members rose from their seats in a roaring standing ovation, calling for an encore.
“It felt really good to get that [ovation], and it was nice to have all of my friends in the audience,” Burke said, bouquet in hand. “I’ve never really thought of myself as a soloist, and haven’t had that experience before — it was amazing.”
Musical conductor Craig Purdy highlighted the “team effort” of preparing for the concert, and the emphasis on achieving one common goal: creating beautiful music.
“I’ve been doing this for thirty-nine years at Boise State University, and it’s so gratifying to work with such talented students,” Purdy said. “My job as a conductor is to bring an interpretation together and make sure we’re playing the right notes at the right time together. It’s tough, but I think we have fun with it.”
Purdy reflected on his past as an aspiring musician and his experience in witnessing the passion of his students through the lens of an educator.
“I see a lot of that passion I had at that age,” Purdy said. “It’s a need for me to continue to bring out the best in these students, and teach everyone individually.”
Production assistant Emily Oquist commented on the duties of the team behind the curtain as they prepare for annual ensembles over the year.
“We are connected to the university and have a great relationship with these shows,” Oquist said. “It’s always so much fun to put together; today was relatively relaxed, but we do have crazy days.”
Oquist explained the audience’s “oohs” and “ahs” define what the team loves most about set design and production.
“I’ve never seen or heard anything so beautiful,” said Boisean Emilee Jorgensen. “It really shows the hard work and dedication these students put in, and even the people behind-the-scenes — it was just perfect.”
