May 29 – May 31
David Danzmayr, conductor
Ju-Fang Liu, bass
In this program, Principal Bassist Ju-Fang Liu shines in an ISO commission world premiere of James Beckel’s Double Bass Concerto. Continuing Beckel’s legacy as principal trombonist of the ISO from 1969-2018, his daughter Julie Beckel also plays in the ISO horn section. This rare opportunity for bass to shine has been an energizing and collaborative process for Liu, who hopes audiences will connect with the warmth of the music she and Beckel have created together.
“This is an aspect of the role of a bass player in an orchestra. In [Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5] we do the bottom part that will support the rest of the orchestra, for them to try to shine,” Liu said. “We just do basically the background work, but important background work. But with this concerto, I get to shine in a very cool way that is so different.”
Liu is excited to perform the contrast between the brazen emotion of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and the sonic journey of Beckel’s new piece. Audiences will walk away with an almost “cinematic’ understanding of the narrative.
“Tchaikovsky No. 5 is like meat and potatoes, a really thick and awesome German meal full of muscles. But with this concerto, it’s like a French restaurant,” Liu said. “It’s very delicate, very interesting. Everything has a history behind it. I think the audience will not only hear [Beckel’s] signature sound, but they will also hear my input as an immigrant who came to the stage just to study music.”
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