The Arizona Symphony Orchestra will perform its spring concert at 7:30 p.m. on March 7. The concert will feature three conductors: Rogers Institute fellows Keitaro Harada and Jackson Warren, and the music director for the Arizona Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Cockrell.
Warren has been involved with music since middle school. However, his role as a double bass player in the orchestra was not enough.
“”When you play in an orchestra you play just one part, and everybody has a different part,”” he said. “”I was sort of drawn to the music. I wanted to understand it all, and everybody’s part. I sort of felt limited by my role as just one person. I wanted to be involved in the whole thing.””
Conducting provided him with the ability to be involved in every part of the music and the performance, he said.
It has also given him the ability to work in a large group.
“”There’s a skill that comes with unifying up to 100 people,”” Warren said. “”You kind of have to project your vision. It’s not so much what you make them do; it’s finding a way to compel them to want to do it. So there’s motivational skills, leadership skills and teamwork skills.””
Warren will conduct one of the opening pieces in the upcoming concert.
“”I’m conducting Mozart’s Overture to a Magic Flute,”” he said.
Warren will be accompanied by a second Rogers conducting fellow, Harada, who will conduct Beethoven’s Overture to Egmont.
“”They are standard, popular, famous overtures,”” Warren said.
After the overtures, Cockrell will conduct Ravel’s “”Le Tombeau de Couperin”” and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1.
“”The Ravel piece is a 20th century dance piece based on baroque models, but in sort of a 20th century guise,”” Warren said.
The program is a unique collection of what is considered to be the cream of the crop.
“”Every piece in there is an unqualified masterpiece by some of the best composers,”” Warren said. “”There’s really good contrast. It’s all really accessible music, there’s nothing really modern or avant guard. It’s all music that is very powerful stuff.””
