Powell studied viola at UW-Madison.
In a program with folk flavorings, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra hosted a homecoming for violist Vicki Powell, who now has a flourishing international career.
England was the point of departure for the first half of the March 24 concert. To be sure, there was nothing folksy about Benjamin Britten’s early Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, composed as a tribute to his teacher. Britten was so extraordinarily talented that a lot of his music is teddibly, teddibly clever, aimed more at pulling off fascinating tricks than just pleasing the ear. But this is a fascinating set of variations, written for string orchestra, with varied textures augmented by frequent subdividing of sections. Only 20 players strong, the WCO string section showed again what a superb and disciplined ensemble it has become, in a vibrant but precise rendition.
The Suite for Viola and Chamber Orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams was composed for the English viola virtuoso Lionel Tertis. Cast in eight movements organized into three groupings, this is a collection of quite diverse miniatures, some serious, most charming. They reflect the deep influence of English folk songs, and at many points one can imagine the viola part as a singing voice.
This was a triumphant return for the soloist, Powell, who began her training under Sally Chisholm and Eugene Perdue at the UW-Madison School of Music. She proved how she has blossomed, displaying rich tone and superlative technique.
She played a solo encore, but her announcement of it was virtually inaudible (I thought I heard the composer’s name as Hoffmeister, a contemporary of Mozart). It was certainly a dazzling showpiece, boldly brought off. But soloists should be trained to project enough to let the audience know what these encore pieces are.
The second half brought us to Scotland, with a short work titled Benedictus, orchestrated by Alexander Mackenzie from a piece of his originally for violin and piano, and turned into a lush melodious display.
The finale was pure Americana, of that kind perfected in the 1930s by Aaron Copland — the orchestral suite drawn from the 13-instrument score that he wrote for Martha Graham’s ballet Appalachian Spring. The WCO players responded to it with undiluted delight and splendidly varied color. A terrific conclusion.
