The Binghamton Community Orchestra will close its season with a program titled “Gems of the Romantic” on Saturday, May 9, showcasing works that span the breadth of the Romantic era.
Music Director Evan Meccarello says the concert was designed to highlight the stylistic diversity of the period. “We have three gems representing three different parts of the Romantic period,” he explained. “We start with the Overture in E minor by Louise Farrenc, followed by Georges Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2, and then Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Violin Concerto, which comes from the later Romantic era.”
The concerto will feature guest soloist Ruben Kebede, who is an advocate for the work. “You can hear the influence of Antonín Dvořák in the way the violin writing is virtuosic but always in service to melodic expression,” Kebede said. “There’s also an influence of African American musical traditions, which gives the piece a unique voice.” He added that the concerto’s slow movement stands among “the great violin concerto slow movements,” and noted his commitment to championing music by underrepresented composers. “It was well received at first but hasn’t been performed much until recently. I’m very happy to help bring it back.”
Meccarello also pointed to the revival of interest in Farrenc’s music. “She was quite successful in her day,” he said, “and this overture really feels like a continuation of Beethoven, with an almost operatic character reminiscent of Rossini.”
The program concludes with Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2, music that outlived the play it was written for. “Bizet shows his love for Provençal musical style,” Meccarello said, highlighting the suite’s famous “Farandole.” He also noted the unusual inclusion of a solo saxophone, to be performed by Binghamton University professor Daniel Miller.
Meccarello will expand on these themes during a pre-concert talk, including the historical context of Coleridge-Taylor’s concerto and its significance in early 20th-century musical life.
The concert takes place Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. at East Middle School in Binghamton, with a pre-concert chat at 6:15 p.m. Ticket information and additional details are available at the orchestra’s website: Binghamton Community Orchestra.