Youth Symphony wows audiences on its Italian tour
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Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra conductor Lawrence Loh rehearses his ensemble at Montecatini Terme in Italy.
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SAN GIMIGNANO, Italy -- The Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra left the relative quiet of the Italian countryside in Salice-Terme for the watery splendor of Venice. It was a quick dip into the City of Canals -- a 40-minute boat ride to and from the Venetian sights and a zig-zag walking tour of the maze of back streets, ending in the famed St. Mark's Square.
But there was little time to waste and another four-hour bus ride awaited them to the middle of Tuscany and the spa town of Montecatini Terme, which would serve as home base for a trio of concerts.
The first was in San Gimignano, a 2,000-year old medieval town with stone towers that, from a distance, looked like the Manhattan skyline.
The students had free time to explore and shop, which they appreciated, before taking in a classic Italian dinner at Restaurant Locanda La Mandragola, where there was a view of the Tuscan valley from the back terrace.
The concert took place in the town's main square, with most of the winds and brass housed in the large arched entryway to the San Gimignano theater and the strings spread out into the square. Audience members sat in chairs, along the walls and up the steps of the church opposite the square.
The orchestra obviously took a leap of confidence from the start. Bernstein's "Candide" had a real urban thrust, and the first movement from Vaughn Williams' "English Folk Songs" had an almost jaunty feel.
Although some of the softer passages were lost to the people sitting farther away on the steps, the crowd didn't want to let the orchestra go at the end. Several couples waltzed to Verdi's "Va Pensiero" while others softly swayed. A number of American tourists roundly responded to "Stars and Stripes Forever," resulting in a brief recapitulation of Copland's "Hoe-down."
Among the enthusiastic audience members were the Henne family -- John and Dara and children Jack, Luke, Mark and Clark, who are Fox Chapel neighbors of PYSO's four Hilals -- and their extended family.
First Published July 9, 2011 12:00 am
