Chicago Sinfonietta – a fond farewell to Maestro Paul Freeman

Chicago Classical Music
By Kathryn J Allwine Bacasmot
May 27, 2011
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Musical Excellence Through Diversity^TM is the mission of the Chicago Sinfonietta, which was established in 1987 by Maestro Paul Freeman. Concluding an extraordinary career spanning a childhood in the segregated South to becoming the first African-American to conduct in some of the most famous halls in the world, Maestro Freeman steps down as Music Director and Conductor this season. In a concert this week presented at Orchestra Hall, Freeman symbolically passed the baton to Mei-Ann Chen the ensemble’s Conductor and Music Director Designate in a program appropriately entitled “Women in Classical Music.”

Having lived in Chicago for just a little over a year now, I’m no longer the new kid on the block, but neither am I a veteran of the scene. This was my first Sinfonietta experience, and after the evening was over, I knew it wouldn’t be my last. The audience in Orchestra Hall was electric, warm, and obviously full of long-time Sinfonietta fans sentimental about the end of the Freeman era. It was a little like crashing a party of old friends getting together to revel in treasured memories, but, rather than feel out of place, I felt very honored to be there witnessing the occasion.

Inclusiveness and diversity are words that get thrown around a lot within our culture. We understand these are positives. We collectively nod our heads, but then often spend too much time talking about how to make it happen and not enough time simply making it work. Thanks to the vision of Maestro Freeman, Chicago Sinfonietta makes it work. Furthermore the organization doesn’t stop at embracing inclusiveness and diversity within the orchestra membership, but goes steps further in making their programs diverse, and making the audience feel included. It was a refreshing surprise to me to note the orchestra and Maestro Chen appeared to expect the audience to applaud between movements.

Jennifer Higdon’s Blue Cathedral is by far one of her most popular compositions, and the performance by Chicago Sinfonietta was respectable though not transcendent. The orchestra appeared to be not fully engaged with the piece, and the use of synthesizer celeste (rather than acoustic) was a little bit off-putting. Following was the third movement of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Symphony No. 1; Three Movements for Orchestra. Speaking from the stage, Maestro Chen noted the frenetic energy of the movement to the audience by quipping, “What you need is a seatbelt on your chair.” But here, too, I desired a little more punch. The performance was certainly animated, but it turned out I didn’t need a seatbelt.

After the first two works, however, the orchestra seemed to reach a point of full engagement with the fantastically charming An American Concerto by Gwyneth Walker presented with violin soloist Elena Urioste. Incorporating folk, jazz, and swing elements, the concerto requires a balance between showmanship and restraint in order to avoid becoming a caricature of its stylistic components. The ensemble delivered beautifully, and Ms. Urioste imbued her performance with a sleek flare, a sense of humor, and gorgeous lyric warmth throughout.

Following the intermission, and a video presentation documenting the career of Maestro Freeman, came the premiere of the commissioned work Divertmento Notte blu by Renée Baker (who also took to the podium to conduct her piece). Comprised of eleven brief movements “for String Orchestra and friends,” to be performed without pause, one was instructed via the Ms. Baker’s program notes: “Don’t try to follow the movements. That would equal the experience of trying to document your dreams every minute in the notebook on your nightstand.” I took her advice, and very much enjoyed the ride through her dreamscape “ranging from inconsolable desolation to shuckin’ and jivin’ joy” – which included a terrific didgeridoo solo.

Then, it was time for something completely different as Maestro Chen noted to us the Dvořák Scherzo capriccioso, Op. 66 was programmed to honor Maestro Freeman’s tenure as Music Director/Conductor of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, which he has held since 1996. At times I wished to feel more of a pulse and less of an obvious beat from the ensemble, but overall it was one of the best performances of the night and generated a swirling vivacity that prompted the loudest applause of the evening from the audience.

Concluding the evening, Maestro Freeman made his way – with some assistance – to the podium to conduct his orchestra one last time for the first movement (Los trabajadores agricolas) from Alberto Ginastera’s Danzas Del Ballet Estancia, Op. 8. After cracking a few jokes (a trait for which he is apparently famous – particularly of the corny variety), the concert ended with a rendition of “We Shall Overcome,” a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., whom Freeman met in an airport as a young man. We were instructed to stand and hold hands during the sing-along.

From rarely heard compositions to premieres, from standards of the new guard to standards from the past, to a hand-holding gospel sing-along in Orchestra Hall, it was testament that bravery in life and bravery in programming can be joyful, entertaining, and fulfilling; musical excellence through diversity, indeed.