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Esprit: The Camerata Orchestra

The Camerata Orchestra continues their 2009-10 series with a concert titled Esprit. The program includes music by Bernstein, Saint-Saens and Shostakovich.

A Mutual Discovery

The conductor for the concert is guest Arie Lipsky, who is visiting from his home base in Ann Arbor. Lipsky is no stranger to the orchestra. "This must be the third or fourth time that the group's founder, Lenore Hatfield, has invited me to conduct."

Asked what he does first with an orchestra, Lipsky replies, "Well, Camerata is a fine group of very advanced student musicians, professionals and faculty members, but they're not a group that plays together all the time, so as I introduce myself – letting the orchestra learn about my style, my body cues – they are feeling out one another as well. It's a bit of mutual discovery."

Joie d'Esprit

Esprit is both the title of the concert and  its theme. Leonard Bernstein's energetic overture to Candide fits into the 'spirit' of the concert. So does Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5, "especially in the final movement as it comes to a resolution."

The middle piece of Camerata's concert is a performance of the Violin Concerto No. 3 by Camille Saint Saens. Former IU student and longtime Bloomington resident Corey Cerovsek plays the violin solo. "Corey and I have some history," Lipsky says. "He soloed in a piece by Max Bruch with an orchestra that I conducted."

Cervosek has a PhD in mathematics. Asked if his background and Lipsky's own –he has a degree in aeronautical engineering – might give them extra common ground, Lipsky responds, "probably not much. I only got the engineering degree to please my mother. She thought I needed training for a regular job."

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