Sarasota Orchestra launches 75th season with a welcome return and local premiere

Next to the chill in the evening air, my favorite thing about early November is the opening weekend of the Sarasota Orchestra’s Masterwork series. There was a celebratory spirit in the air as Principal Bass John Miller welcomed the audience to the organization’s 75^th season noting there was nowhere better to be 75 than in Sarasota.

The orchestra stood to open the season with the national anthem, as they have often done over the years. In light of recent world news and wars, this time the sound of the audience members joined in song struck a deep chord. It didn’t weigh the evening down as guest conductor David Alan Miller quickly invited all into a world brimming with the high spirits of the overture to "Die Fledermaus" by Johann Strauss II.

The strings led the opening salvo – a musical smile – setting the tone for the comedic and light-hearted drama that next unfolds. Upward runs and vivacious trills evoked the imagery of champagne bubbles and we were all off on an adventure.

American composer Michael Torke has a distinct and recognizable voice within contemporary music. His appeal lies in his ability to bridge the gap between the classical tradition and the rhythms and tonalities of diverse popular styles resulting in a sound that is both fresh and unmistakably his own.

It was a particular pleasure to hear his “Sky” (2018), the result of a collaboration with the evening’s soloist, violinist Tessa Lark. Immersed in the classical tradition, but the daughter of a bluegrass musician, Lark’s unique artistry was highlighted throughout the three movements of the work.

Infused with banjo-picking drive, the music grabbed us immediately with the pulsing rhythms and repetitive phrases and further enveloped us with layered textures and vibrant orchestration. Lark’s command was wildly captivating on one hand and next, she wove a spell with lilting Irish-tinged melodies in the second movement. The third movement, powered by bluegrass fiddling, sealed the deal on this overwhelmingly exuberant showcase of this youthfully vigorous and artful fusion of styles. It was a true tour de force for Lark and orchestra as well.

The audience roared its appreciation and wouldn’t let Lark depart until she offered one more song, one she sang as she fiddled. A traditional song, no doubt, but infinitely charming.

David Alan Miller, music director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra since 1992, proved an excellent accompanist in the challenging rigors of “Sky.” He has an obvious good rapport with the musicians. I’m not surprised at all. In 1997, Miller was a finalist in the orchestra’s search for a music director that ultimately led to Leif Bjaland taking over the organization. This season the orchestra is conducting a new search to succeed Bramwell Tovey, who died in 2022 before he could begin his job as music director.

Twenty-six years later, Miller seems born to be with the Sarasota Orchestra if the performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica) is any measure.

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Looking at the heroic sweep of this symphony, the musicians embodied the score. There was every bit of the depth and complexity of the score, revolutionary in its time, and emotionally wrenching in the moment of performance this night. There was the triumph of human spirit over adversity, and the absolute mastery of the most finite details.

The dynamic control of the sound, particularly in Sarasota’s magnificent strings, was at times breathtaking. The colorful character and technical prowess of the entire wind section is admirable. The way Beethoven employs the horns is delectable and the their performance was a rare perfection.

Earnest, emphatic and clearly impassioned as he led the musicians, Miller must have impressed us all.

Sarasota Orchestra Masterworks

Guest conductor David Alan Miller, soloist Tessa Lark, violin. Reviewed Nov. 3, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 941-953-3434; sarasotaorchestra.org

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Orchestra launches its 75th season with a welcome return