By Richard Pacheco, Standard-Times correspondent
MARION -- It was indeed an auspicious debut, a concert filled with finesse and elegance, played with verve and unyielding power -- the inaugural concert of Buzzards Bay Musicfest, sponsored by the Marion Arts Center and the Musicfest Board of Directors, and held at Tabor Academy's Firestone Performing Arts Center.
The chamber orchestra music concert kicked off the three-day event (the final concert, also chamber orchestra, will be held at 2 p.m. this afternoon at the Firestone Performing Arts Center at Tabor Academy).
Russell Patterson, musical director of the festival, conducted with grace and zest.
The program opened with Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachmusik K.525." The 16-member orchestra shined, playing with passion and conviction, full of finesse and fire. The Allegro they handled with a brisk vitality, elegantly articulated, deftly nuanced, eminently polished. The Romanze was adroit and dynamic. The Menuetto had a buoyant charm and freshness. And the final Rondo was poised and lustrous.
The following Bach Concerto in C Minor for Oboe and Violin offered a new take, rather than the original take on this Bach work. Usually it is presented as a piano duet, but was originally written for oboe and violin. It was an elegant treat.
Peter Stempe on oboe displayed a fervor and focus that was impressive and apt.
Charles Stegeman on violin proved no less impressive, playing with an exuberance and ardor.
The orchestra was elegant and balanced throughout, keenly fluent and polished.
The Allegro was richly textured and vibrant, often dense and lush. In the Adagio, violin and oboe often echo each other, repeating themes and passages, creating a lush layer that was vibrant and dense. The final Allegro was bold, almost rambunctious, full of fire and sauciness.
After intermission, the orchestra returned with Greig's "Holberg Suite, Op. 40." They glided through it with uncommon elegance and fervor. The Prelude was handled with care and clarity and spirit. The Sarabande was full of a serene poise and confidence, articulated in every note. The Gavotte/Musette was more solemn and thoughtful. The Rigaudon was robust and vibrant, superbly expressed.
This inaugural concert leaves no doubt that the Buzzards Bay Musicfest will prove to be a welcome addition, a true gem to the area's cultural landscape. The musicians are world-class, highly skilled and passionate in just the right doses.
Maestro Patterson conducts with grace and vitality. The orchestra he brings to the area is eminently professional, the musicians accomplished, often dazzling. It was immediately apparent that these musicians and the conductor had a real affinity for each other, a respect born of mutual talents developed to their fullest, merged with vigor and adroitness.
The festival's founding board members have vowed to provide continuing support for five years so this annual event (which played this year to a near-capacity crowd) will grow and enrich the cultural scene even longer than that with community support.