The Greensboro Symphony concert was a blast this evening. The first half had Shostakovich's Festive Overture and Symphony No 1. After the intermission, soloist Margaurite Mathis-Clark sang "Summertime" and "My Man's Gone Now" from Porgy & Bess. I could have listened to another dozen songs – she has a lovely voice. Then Stuart Malina (the former Music Director) played the piano for Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. There was wildly enthusiastic applause when he finished.
Stuart and Margaurite came out for a combined encore with the hymn "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and then Stuart and Dmitry (Sitkovetsky, the current Music Director) came out and played a Jascha Heifetz arrangement together. What fun!
It was wonderful for everyone to see Stuart again. The orchestra loves him and the audience does too. I remember ten years ago when he conducted his 'audition' with the orchestra – it was the first time I had seen orchestra members being more enthusiastic than just tapping their bows on their stands. They all were stamping their feet when he came out for his final bow. It was obvious who was going to be the new Music Director of the five who had auditioned during the season.
