Eight young men, some playing musical instruments more common today in museums than on stage, comprised the University Symphony a hundred years ago when it was founded by Aubrey Levy. When the 80-piece symphony takes the stage at Meany Theater Tuesday to play Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphoses as part of its centennial concert, its own growth will be evident. The double bell euphonium is gone. The cornet design has been modified. More than half the orchestra’s members are women and its repertoire is more extensive. Along with the symphony’s centennial, Maestro Peter Eros will be celebrating the completion of his first decade as its director and conductor, a decade in which he has earned considerable praise from music critics. Melinda Bargreen, music critic for the Seattle Times, has said the symphony “reached impressive new levels of excellence” under his direction.
The centennial concert will include a solo by pianist Craig Sheppard performing Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major and the orchestra performing Beethoven’s Egmont Overture. The founding director, a violinist and member of one of Seattle’s pioneering families, also garnered considerable praise in his day. The UW’s 1900 Tyee stated: “There is perhaps no organization of which the University is more proud than the orchestra. It is safe to say that it has done more to advance student interests and college spirit than any other organization in the institution.” Levy was a member of the prominent Cooper-Levy family, who acquired their fortune outfitting prospectors during the Alaska Gold Rush. Although he practiced as an attorney for several years, he also distinguished himself as a musician and composer. The University Orchestra grew steadily in size and strength under the musical direction of conductors C.O. Kimball, Charles W. Lawrence, Walter Welke, George C. Kirchner and Stanley Chapple. Eros joined the UW after holding several distinguished conducting positions, including as music director and conductor of the Malmo Symphone Orchestra (Sweden), the Australian Broadcasting Commission (Sydney and Melbourne), the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the La Jolla Chamber Orchestra, and the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra (Denmark). He also has guest conducted with many of the world’s major symphony orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Scottish National Orchestra. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Tickets, $6, general admission, $4, students and seniors, are available at the UW Arts Ticket Office, 4001 University Way N.E. For information call (206) 543-4880, or fax (206) 685-4141. |
Lauren Donaldson |
Mary Hammond Bernson |
A more environmentally friendly Motor Pool fueling facility is now open. It sports double-walled underground fuel storage tanks, a sensitive leak-detection system, a vapor recovery system that reduces air pollution, upgraded spill protection and re-grading to better control spills and water runoff. Along with the advances in environmental protection, improvements offer better service for clients: a higher canopy with better lighting, wider driveways; water, motor oil and air available at the pump island; pumps that are easier and safer to use. The Motor Pool facility closed in July for the remediation project. Taking a break at the fueling facility are two unidentified construction workers with RemTech, the contracting firm for the project. The Motor Pool Web site is http://www.washington.edu/admin/motorpool |
Bill Catterall, center, chair of the Neurobiology Program steering committee, introduces Carla Shatz, speaker for the inaugural lecture, to UW President Richard McCormick. ml98075_29a.tif |
William Bremner |
Evan Kharasch Photo by Jordan Rehm |
Photos identified by number may be ordered from uphoto@u.washington.edu.