By Owen Bryant
The Reno Chamber Orchestra 2023-24 season has offered a diverse array of programs since its beginning, and their most recent concert was no less of a surprise. This past weekend at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nightingale Concert Hall, RCO delivered “The Old Style,” a repertoire of four works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The contrasting styles provoked thought and emotion as the audience was transported on a journey through those bygone decades.
The opener, and the most straightforward, was Ottorino Respighi’s “Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 3.” The first movement, “Italiana,” proceeded elegantly along. The second movement, “Arie Di Corte,” offered an even grander sound. The final two movements, “Siciliana” and “Passacaglia,” ventured more into pressing and fitful moods while maintaining the overall elegance of the first movement.
The highlight of the program came next with Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Oboe Concerto in A Minor, featuring oboe soloist Jennifer Corning Lucio. As an oboe player myself, I was delighted by this piece and Lucio’s mastery of her instrument. In three movements, a rondo, a minuet and a scherzo finale, Lucio and the orchestra played back and forth, with Lucio occasionally taking the reins to lead some phenomenal sections. There’s nothing quite like the winsome sound of an oboe backed by lush orchestral strings.
After intermission came Errolyn Wallen’s Concerto Grosso, this time featuring soloists Ruth Lenz on violin, Scott Faulkner on bass, and James Winn on piano. The most contemporary piece of the afternoon, the concerto, may not have been to everyone’s taste, but was perhaps the most exciting, in my opinion. A mix of classical, jazz, and avant garde soundscapes, there was a surprise waiting around every corner as conductor Kelly Kuo took the orchestra on a winding adventure.
The final piece was another Concerto Grosso, No. 1, B. 59, by Ernest Bloch. This one finished the program with a fierceness not heard in any of the others. From the booming, sweeping prelude to the surprisingly pleasant dirge, pastorale and fugue, it was obvious why this was chosen as the program’s closer. With such a varied selection of works, RCO did well in finishing on a strong note.
This was another impressive concert by RCO. In the first piece, there seemed to be an issue with the cello section, but I wasn’t sure if it was the music or something off with the players. But it was resolved by the second piece and didn’t detract much from the overall experience.
As a regular attendee, I recommend catching any of RCO’s concerts if you can. With just a few performances left this season, there are still options to choose from. Check out the rest of their season at https://www.renochamberorchestra.org/season.
