On Friday, April 8th, Finney Chapel at Oberlin College and Conservatory was alive with the vibrant sounds of music, stirred to life by Raphael Jiménez and his baton. The stage was set for an evening of musical brilliance, featuring an outsized chamber orchestra tackling a challenging concert program. Among the lineup was one of the winners of the student concerto competition, Juan Pedro Espinosa Monteros, which added an extra layer of anticipation to the event. The program boasted well-known works including Giachino Rossini’s Overture to William Tell, Carl Nielsen’s Clarinet Concerto, and Alberto Ginastera’s renowned Variaciones Concertantes.
Rossini’s overture commenced with a soul-stirring cello solo, flawlessly executed by principal cellist Ben Rodriguez, setting a promising tone for the performance ahead. As the piece unfolded, the orchestra showcased its finesse, with exquisite solos from the flute and English horn weaving seamlessly through the lush tapestry of strings. Yet, the brass section encountered typical problems during the well-known “Lone Ranger” section. Momentarily veering into disarray the brass section cracked notes and played out of tune — causing Rossini’s overture to be reminiscent of an Arnold Schoenberg, twelve-tone composition.
During a brief pause, the stage was reset for Nielsen’s clarinet concerto. As Espinosa Monteros took center stage, the audience welcomed him as a true virtuoso with deafening applause. With each note, Espinosa Monteros impressed with his mastery of the clarinet, effortlessly navigating between warm, lyrical passages and lightning-fast technical feats. The performance concluded in a breathtaking silence, swiftly shattered by enthusiastic applause, marking the culmination of the clarinetist’s journey at Oberlin Conservatory.
Following a brief intermission, the concert continued with Ginastera’s Variaciones —a piece known to test the aptitude of even the most seasoned orchestras. Despite initial challenges with intonation and coordination throughout the theme for the cello and harp, the clarinet variation, and Variazione drammatica per Viola, standout performances came from Rodriguez along with double bassist Zach Wuorinen who injected renewed energy into the piece with his virtuosic interpretation of Ripresa dal Tema per Contrabasso.
As the final notes of Ginastera’s Variaciones faded into the air, Finney Chapel erupted into a jubilant celebration, accompanied by the usual obligatory standing ovation. Amidst the fervor of the brass and harp in Rossini and Ginastera, Espinosa Monteros, the woodwinds, and the strings emerged as beacons of excellence. Their performances left an indelible mark on the memory.
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