The Columbus Symphony Orchestra's concerts begin Sunday afternoon in Columbus North's Auditorium. "The symphony is an all volunteer group," says second year conductor Roger Kalia. "Our bassoonist is a pediatrician. The flutist is working on an advanced degree, and it just happens that our concert master actually has a degree in music. They all play for the love of it, and we're always looking for new members."
Sounds of Spain is the concert title for the orchestra's first stop on their world tour. "Well, it actually is more music with a Spanish flavor than actual Spanish music," admits Kalia. "There will be the Ritual Fire Dance by the Spaniard Manuel de Falla, but then there's music by a Russian and a Frenchman."
"Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol fits in very nicely with plenty of Spanish flavor. And for the music from Édouard Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole, we will have a young Spanish born violinist as the soloist. Sixteen year old Oscar Pineiro currently lives with his family in Carmel. He's a terrific player, and as a youth in Madrid he actually was a winner of the Spanish edition of ‘America's Got Talent.'
"Although our Sounds of Spain do come from a variety of sources, the rhythms and the energy are very much in the spirit that I think everyone will enjoy."