A chamber of delights: From ‘Angry Mozart’ to students paired with pros

The Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra could be called a little sibling of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra: They’re related, in that they share many of the same players, and the chamber ensemble is smaller, with a decidedly abbreviated season; three weeks as opposed to 10 months.

But the chamber orchestra has younger brothers and sisters of its own.

Since 1997, the LSCO has run the Quartet Project, in which area middle and high school students spend two weeks of intense practice, after which they perform with the adult professionals for the group’s final concert.

Ho-Yin Kwok, who this month took over as the group’s second music director since its founding 38 years ago, and violinist Amy Eichers, who also leads the Superior High School orchestra, spoke with WPR’s Robin Washington on “Morning Edition” about the group and joys of teaching young classical musicians.

Joining them was Sophia Farell, a Quartet Project member and Superior High School student. The orchestra performs at 7 p.m. on July 17 and 25 at Weber Music Hall at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Robin Washington:  Ho-Yin, you’ve been the assistant conductor of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, conductor of the Mississippi Valley Orchestra, director of orchestras at Ithaca College and the winner of several national conducting competitions. What’s special about the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra?

Ho-Yin Kwok: The Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra is by far one of the most special orchestras that I’ve conducted, mainly because its season is really compact — three weeks, three concerts. Also, the repertoire is a little bit outside the box. Usually it’s contemporary music or even world premieres, and also music of the past that is rarely performed. And also the Quartet Project.

RW: Tonight is your second performance. Next week is your third, which will have the young players performing. For your debut last week, you opened with Mozart’s “Adagio and Fugue in C minor,” which you described as “angry Mozart.” Tell us who angry Mozart was.

HYK: Mozart is known for his really jolly character. When you look at the 41 Mozart symphonies, only two of them are in minor keys. It’s the same with his 27 piano concertos.

Whenever Mozart writes something in minor, he is making a strong statement, and this one is very muscular; I mean, it’s very aggressive. It’s rare in the Mozart repertoire to have something quite like this.

RW: Amy, you’re also a member of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra. You didn’t have enough to do already in your teaching and your orchestra position?

AE: Playing in the orchestra is such a refreshing thing for me as a teacher. It’s great to be under a different conductor as a musician. I feel like I bring a lot of what happens in those rehearsal. from my high school orchestra.

It’s great to make great music with people who have been my friends for years and years. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

RW: Both of you lead or have led ensembles of young people. Tell us about the Quartet Project.

AE: Warren Friesen, who was the founder of the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra, also founded the Quartet Project. It’s mostly string quartets. There have been some trios in the past and those students are coached by LSCO musicians. When they perform side-by-side, it’s a really great experience for the students.

HYK: They start at 9:30 in the morning and they don’t stop until 3:30 p.m. So it’s long days.

RW: You’re sitting here with two music professionals. Are you thinking of making a career out of it?

SF: Both my parents are teachers so I always wanted to be a teacher. The only question is what subject. That’s kind of changed in the last year-and-a-half to music. 

RW: Amy, what’s been your proudest moment working with the young players?

AE: The chance to work with these young students in a small group.

It’s also a rewarding experience as a coach, too, because you really get those firsthand moments when a student realizes how something is played. How do we start? How do we finish? How do we communicate with each other as we’re playing? They learn all of that stuff through the rehearsal process. And it’s a rewarding thing for a coach, as well. 

If you have an idea about something in northern Wisconsin you think we should talk about on “Morning Edition,” send it to us at northern@wpr.org.