Free concert Saturday by Oak Ridge Community Orchestra

A free concert by the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra on Saturday will feature Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the Brahms Tragic Overture, and the Bach Double Violin Concerto with two soloists.

The two soloists for the double violin concerto are Bree Miller and Ilia Steinschneider.

The concert starts at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church, which is at the corner of the Oak Ridge Turnpike and LaFayette Drive. Although admission is free, charitable donations to support the orchestra’s routine operating expenses will be appreciated, a press release said.

Here is more information from the press release:

The Concerto for Two Violins, Strings and Continuo in D Minor (BWV 1043) was written between 1730 and 1731. It is one of the most famous compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). The concerto comprises three movements: Vivace, Largo ma non tanto, and Allegro. It is characterized by the subtle, yet expressive, relationship between the two solo violins. The musical structure employs fugal imitation and counterpoint, with a style characteristic of the late Baroque Period.

Bree Miller started playing violin at the age of 11 under Ann Gouge in Johnson City, Tennessee. At 12, she began studies under Dr. Kenneth Sarch. Bree majored in violin performance at Jacksonville University in Florida under a talent scholarship, and studied with Aaron Krosnick. She last studied with Alexander Meshibovsky, a student of Jascha Heifetz. Bree has been guest concertmaster and soloist for various orchestras in the US, and has performed as soloist in Shanghai China. She is currently the ORCO concertmaster. In addition to being an accomplished violinist, she is also a design engineer, specializing in the areas of electrical and mechanical engineering.

Ilia Steinschneider is a core member of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He also performs in several other local groups. Ilia started playing violin in Moscow at the age of 7 under the tutelage of Tatyana Vladimirova. After turning 14, he began studies at the Moscow State Conservatory under Ludmila Slavianova, and later with Marina Yashvili. In 1991, he moved to the USA to study under Taras Gabora at the Oberlin Conservatory. Later, he attended Boston University to study with Yuri Mazurkevich, and earned a Master of Music degree. Ilia moved to Knoxville in 1998 to accept a position with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Currently, he also spends a substantial portion of his time providing private instruction for aspiring violinists through Music Arts, Inc..

The Fifth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) is so famous it almost needs no introduction. It was written from 1804 to 1808, and premiered in 1808 in a marathon concert, along with his Sixth Symphony and a number of other new Beethoven compositions. It comprises four movements, with the third movement transitioning directly into the fourth without pause. As with most of Beethoven’s symphonies, the style is strong and dramatic. It is best known for the motif in the opening bars, dit-dit-dit-dah. In 1940 during WWII, this was recognized by BBC Radio as the Morse Code for the letter V. Subsequently, the opening bars of the symphony were often played on the Radio Londres broadcasts to occupied France as part of the V for Victory campaign.

Once you listen to the Tragic Overture by Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897), you may decide the nickname is somewhat of a misnomer. Brahms chose this name to contrast the composition with the Academic Overture, which was written that same year (1880). Brahms felt that the Tragic Overture had a more turbulent character compared to the mirthful ebullience of its companion overture. This composition is all about evoking emotions via music.

The Oak Ridge Community Orchestra is a 501(c)3, non-profit, volunteer organization. Anyone wishing to regularly participate in the orchestra is encouraged to contact the Personnel Manager, Alex Wilson, at orcopersonnelmanager@gmail.com. The orchestra welcomes musicians of all ages with at least 4 years of experience. For more information on the ORCO visit www.OakRidgeCommunityOrchestra.com.