Four Seasons concert to be presented at Olympus High

Millcreek residents will get a rare opportunity to hear musicians from Olympus High School play selections from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” during a chamber music concert on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7p.m.

The “Four Seasons” is a set of four violin concertos composed in 1723 by Antonio Vivaldi. It is his best known work and one of the most popular pieces of Baroque music.

Six of Olympus high school’s best soloists will comprise the program.

“This music is well loved by our students, and they have meticulously been preparing for this night,” musical director Micah Fleming said. “This is truly a concert not to be missed.”

The texture of each concerto is varied, therefore representing each different season. For example “Winter” is peppered with silvery pizzicato high notes that bring to mind a cold frost, while “Summer” evokes a thunderstorm in its last movement. Each concerto has three movements, with a slow movement between two faster ones. This music is one of the first attempts to imitate various aspects of nature in music.

The four concertos were written to accompany four sonnets or poems. Though it is not known for sure who wrote the sonnets. Many believe Vivaldi himself wrote them, given that each one of them is broken down into three sections, much like each of the movements of the concertos.

Because of the nature of the performance, the event will not be presented in the auditorium but in Room 302, one of the music rooms. “This room seats around 200 people which allows for the true chamber music experience for the audience,” Fleming said.

Chamber music is a form of classical music written for a small group of instruments usually presented ina more intimate atmosphere.

Admission to the concert is free. Olympus High School is at 4055 South 2300 East