Typically when thinking of French classical music, beautiful orchestral works flood the mind, filling it with the sounds of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

But before the impressionists stole the headlines, there was another period of French classical music: the romantic era. In honour of French romantics, The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra presents three works from era composers Hector Berlioz, 脡douard Lalo and Camille Saint-Sa毛ns in their Nov. 24-26 concert, The French Connection.

Kicking off The Chase Masterworks Series performance is Berliozsa国际传媒� Chasse royale et Orage (The Royal Hunt and Storm).

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a lovely opener depicting the hunting calls,sa国际传媒� said OSO music director and conductor Rosemary Thomson of Berliozsa国际传媒檚 composition. sa国际传媒淗e was a bit of a bad boy. He was so ahead of his time sa国际传媒� he didnsa国际传媒檛 fit the classical mould. He was really painting pictures with his compositions.sa国际传媒�

Three sets of timpani surround the orchestra, giving the piece palpable power, reminiscent of rolling thunder.

As the thunder subsides, renowned-violinist and two-time recipient of a rare violin from the Canada Council Musical Instrument bank Timothy Chooi ignites the audience with Lalosa国际传媒檚 Symphonie Espagnole, while wielding a 1717 Windsor-Weinstein Stradivari violin valued at $5 million.

sa国际传媒淭imothy is one of Canadasa国际传媒檚 greatest experts on the violin,sa国际传媒� Thomson said of the 23-year-old violinist currently enrolled in a mastersa国际传媒檚 program at the Juilliard School in New York City and who previously studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 an amazing performer with amazing depth.sa国际传媒�

And Chooi is a performer Thomson is happy to feature on Lalosa国际传媒檚 composition.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a beautiful piece,sa国际传媒� Thomson said of Symphonie Espagnole. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e going to bring a little Mediterranean sunshine to the Okanagan.sa国际传媒�

With new equipment from Calgary now available, Thomson is excited to bring Saint-Sa毛nssa国际传媒� Symphony No. 3, a.k.a the Organ Symphony due to its inclusion of the instrumental powerhouse that was added to amplify the orchestra.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been waiting to do this piece for a while, but we didnsa国际传媒檛 actually have organs available,sa国际传媒� Thomson said. sa国际传媒淭hey call the organ the king of the orchestra. The organ plays these low notes you almost cansa国际传媒檛 here but you can feel it, and when you combine the two, itsa国际传媒檚 the grandest sound you can achieve.sa国际传媒�

But with a digital organ Thomson has been assured sounds identical to the real thing on hand, the OSO is ready to bring the Organ Symphony to Okanagan audiences.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 really excited that wesa国际传媒檙e going to be able to do this amazing piece,sa国际传媒� Thomson said. sa国际传媒淲hen the organ plays in full blast, it will really blow the roof off the theatre.sa国际传媒�

The OSO brings The French Connection to the Kelowna Community Theatre Friday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m., Pentictonsa国际传媒檚 Cleland Community Theatre, Saturday Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Sunday Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $56.25 adult, $49 senior, $26.25 student/child and $25 first two rows at .

entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .