Guest Pianists Share the Stage with the Cache Chamber Orchestra

The Cache Chamber Orchestra, an all-volunteer community organization, presents its winter concert Sunday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall of the Chase Fine Arts Center at Utah State University.

The concert is free and all are welcome.

 

Under the direction of conductor and director Robert Frost, the community musicians will be joined by two high-school-age musicians, Lauren Belliston and Stephen Merkley.

 

Belliston studies with Kathleen Lloyd of Smithfield. She will play the final movement of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

 

“This is a fiery piece,” Frost said. “It starts fast and never lets up. You’ve got to be an accomplished musician to be able to play this work. The orchestra part is considerably easier — we just hang on for the ride.”

 

Contrasting the fire of the Mendelssohn work will be Merkley’s interpretation of a Mozart work.

 

Merkley, who studies with Betty Beecher, will play the first movement of Mozart’s Concerto No. 23.

 

“This is a popular work,” Frost said. “We will go from speedball to the refinement of Mozart with less speed and a more intimate concerto.”

 

Frost said the work is Mozart at his best and is just as demanding to play in its own way.

 

“The orchestra likes to feature young soloists in its concerts,” Frost said. “It’s nice to show off their skills. The orchestra will show off its skills as well — providing music it loves and enjoys performing.”

 

The orchestra opens the evening with Procession of the Nobles by Rimsky-Korsakov.

 

“This selection is from an opera and is extremely well known,” Frost said. “It includes a brilliant fanfare for trumpets and then the trombones are added. This work will be recognized by many. The strings have very dramatic and rhythmic themes to go along with the brass.”

 

The orchestra will also perform two movements from the Dvorak Symphony No. 8, the third and fourth movements.

 

“This is a beautiful work with beautiful melodies in the third movement,” Frost said. “The fourth movement introduces the theme through the cellos — an unusual approach.”

 

The concert concludes with an arrangement of the Russian Sailors Dance by Gliere, a work described by Frost as fun.

 

“It’s a fun piece and definitely a dance,” he said. “You can see the Russian sailors leaving the ship after a long time at sea. It has a variety of tempos and it winds up with a flair. It’s a great way to close a concert.”

 

Frost speaks highly of the musicians in the Cache Chamber Orchestra, a group he said is moving a step higher.

 

“As the orchestra matures the technique gets better,” he said. “We are playing significant literature, and with the addition of the brass, it allows us to show off our skill a little bit more.”

 

The Cache Chamber Orchestra is open to community musicians and is a program sponsored by the department of music at Utah State University. The group rehearses once a week during the academic year and performs three concerts during the season. A spring concert is up next for the group.

 

Frost, a USU alum, is a recent recipient of a national award, the ASCAPLUS Award – Concert Music Division. The award was presented by ASCAP — the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The award reflects the organization’s commitment to assist and encourage ASCAP composers. ASCAP is a national membership association with more than 260,000 U.S. composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers of every kind of music.

 

“Robert Frost is an immensely talented composer, performer and educator,” said Gary Kiger, USU’s College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences dean. “This prestigious national award confirms what we have known all along: Robert’s commitment to music composition, publishing, performance and teaching runs deep.”

 

Contact: Robert Frost (435) 563-5090