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Suzuki Strings to join symphony concert
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FarkRAPID CITY — The Black Hills Symphony Orchestra will perform the elegant anthems of the holiday season at its Christmas Traditions concert on Saturday, Dec. 1.
The concert in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center theater will conjure an atmosphere of nostalgia and Christmases past as 100 members of the Black Hills Suzuki Strings join the orchestra. Conductors Jack Knowles and Bruce Knowles will take the audience through a musical journey of Christmas.
Bruce Knowles will conduct the first part of the two-hour program, beginning with the classic “The Nutcracker Suite” by Peter Tchaikovsky. From the 1891 Russian ballet, the orchestra will perform “Overture Miniature,” “March of the Toy Soldiers,” “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “Russian Dance,” “Arabian Dance,” “Chinese Dance,” “Dance of the Reed Flutes” and “Waltz of the Flowers.”
“It is the most popular of the classical Christmas music,” said Jack Knowles, Bruce’s father. “There are eight short dances that are recognized as the most popular part of that musical score.”
The second suite is Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Snow Maiden,” based on a Russian folktale of a peasant woodcutter and his wife who are unhappy because they are childless. They make a beautiful girl out of snow, which delightfully comes to life. While she melts away in spring, she returns to the couple each winter.
“This is a piece that is not known as a popular Christmas piece, but it fits the season,” Jack Knowles said.
Once banned from public performances in the Soviet Union because of its affiliation with a religious holiday — it was allowed to be played only on New Year’s Day — it has recently returned to Christmas and New Year’s Day performances in Russia, he said.
“It has some beautiful music,” Jack Knowles said.
In 1950, 20th century Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote the musical suite “Winter Bonfire.” The music describes a holiday trip of a group of boys in “Young Pioneers,” with “Departure by Train,” “Snow Outside the Window,” “Waltz on Ice,” “Winter Evening,” “March to the Rail Station” and “The Ride Home.”
“His best piece is ‘Peter and the Wolf,’” Jack Knowles said of Prokofiev.
Yet this third suite of the orchestra program could become a favorite.
“It’s a more contemporary composition,” he said.
After a brief intermission, Jack Knowles will take the baton to conduct the second half of the program, which includes the Black Hills Suzuki Strings.
Because of the sheer size of the string section, most of the young Suzuki musicians will be on risers behind the orchestra while some will be on the apron — the part of the stage along the side, he said.
“They will play all their pieces with the symphony. They’re playing six short traditional pieces,” he said.
Retired physician Streeter Shining will narrate the classic poem “’Twas The Night Before Christmas” for the finale.
“The orchestra will accompany him for a very nice ending of the concert,” Knowles said.
If you go
What: Black Hills Symphony Orchestra Christmas Traditions Concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1
Tickets: $10 to $26
Where: Rushmore Plaza Civic Center theater
Conductors Jack Knowles and Bruce Knowles will welcome Streeter Shining, who will narrate the Christmas classic, “’Twas The Night Before Christmas,” plus 100 members of the Black Hills Suzuki Strings. For tickets, call the civic center box office at 394-4111, 1-800-GOT-MINE or go to www.gotmine.com.
Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.
Retired physician Streeter Shining will narrate the classic poem "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" at the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas Traditions concert. (Courtesy photo)
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