An Evening with the RPO

Dave and I had a wonderful evening last night -- we attended one of the first concerts of the new Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra season under the direction of our long-time favorite conductor, Jeff Tyzik.

The concert took place in the Ingles Auditorium on the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology where I work. It's a small, intimate venue that has stadium seating and a small stage. Dave and I were delighted to be able to have front row seats, with a fantastic view of everything happening on stage.

The orchestra performed masterpieces of early American jazz, with selections by Gershwin, Scott Joplin, and probably our favorite, a tribute to Jelly Roll Morton.

While each and every piece was spectacular, Tyzik had arranged three selections based on old tape recordings of live performances of Jelly Roll Morton's works. He brought out a trio to center stage which included principal clarinet Ken Grant, principal trumpet Doug Prosser, and principal trombone Mark Kellogg. The performance they put on was one we wish we could witness over and over again. Each of these very talented men performed solo pieces that highlighted their incredible talents and I can only assume paid incredible tribute to Jelly Roll's works.

I have to admit I was just pulled in by Ken Grant's obvious love of the music and his total immersion in the pieces he performed. He put his whole body and soul into each note. He is quite a showman!

Another highlight of the evening was a timpani performance by Charles Ross. You wouldn't think that timpani would lend itself to jazz improv but this guy was a master. I know this was probably Dave's favorite part of the concert. He was just awed by the talent. We also enjoyed the guitar accompliment by Bob Sneider -- who added some laughter to the evening when he accidentally flung his guitar pick underneath the timpani. His bald head turned bright red and Tyzik couldn't help but laugh and joke with him that they were trying to put on a serious performance. It was another fun moment of the evening.

We loved the coziness of the venue, the fact that we were close enough to the stage and orchestra to take in conversations of the orchestra members, and that Jeff Tyzik took time to field questions from audience members and create such a warm and inviting atmosphere. We were taken in by his obvious respect and admiration for the incredible talent of his orchestra members and that we were able to hear his private comments to his principals after their solo performances, such as, "That was so AWESOME!" after Charles Ross's timpani performance.

We totally enjoyed our evening and are really looking forward to attending more RPO concerts during the upcoming season!