So strong was the impression that the young Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra made in Columbus last spring that she was immediately invited to return to the Ohio Theater. She's been given a concert "before opening night," no doubt to accommodate her own busy schedule. The Columbus Symphony will play Beethoven's 7th Symphony, and two works that may be new to you: Danzon 2 by Arturo Marquez, and a piece certainly new to me that I've been enjoying over the past few days, SubZero, by the Swiss American composer Daniel Schnyder. Here's the third movement of SubZero. Soloist Stefan Schulz will perform the work in Columbus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-bsuswGW_Q I find a lot of new music meanders along and gets stuck in its own self importance. SubZero isn't like that at all. Schnyder combines brilliant orchestral colors, using the trombone for punctuation, commentary and for bel canto singing. The textures are lively and I find the second movement in particular to be addictive. (The third movement will have the audience on its feet) The combination of Ms. de la Parra and this rambunctious and beautiful work by Daniel Schnyder will be quite winning. Don't miss it!
Christopher Purdy is Classical 101's early morning host, 7-10 a.m. weekdays. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.