UM Symphony Orchestra Presents: Beyond the Woods

University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra’s final concert of the year reflects upon past journeys through the eyes of an old violinist. Our first piece, Sen, is written by DFoM composition student, Menghan Liu, as if emerging from the deep peace, stillness and depth of the great forests. The violinist leaves their past life behind them and emerges from the woods. Tchaikovsky’s concerto is honest and filled with longing and will be performed by one of last year’s DFoM concerto competition winners, Paolo Camus. Our violinist plays to themself in the cottage, thinking of those loved and lost, and the times they shared. Finally, we finish the season with Vaughan Williams’ underplayed, mesmerizing and grandiose Serenade in A minor. The very first orchestral work following his graduation at the Royal College of Music, the Serenade is a pastoral reflection of the nature that surrounds us, and is strident with fulfilling harmonies and meaningful tunes, as if soaring through the skies over the Dover cliffs.