DuPage Symphony presents Springtime Celebrations on Sunday, March 17

Springtime Celebrations will feature DSO’s 2024 Young Artists Auditions winner Henry Auxenfans at 3 p.m. on Sun., March 17 at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville.

Photo: Henry Auxenfans. Courtesy of: CYSO/Ed Spinelli

“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife,” wrote Lebanese American writer Khalil Gibran. This language of the spirit speaks loudly during spring, when nature wakes up and when everything breathes the energy of life, hope, and harmony. Music brings harmony and springlike feelings into our lives, and DuPage Symphony Orchestra is happy to present its concert called Springtime Celebrations at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville.

Spring is also associated with everything that is young and new, and the Springtime Celebrations concert is not an exception. It will celebrate the cultural holidays of spring and showcase talented youth. This event will include several high school students performing in the orchestra as part of the DuPage Symphony Orchestra’s community youth outreach programming.

At this concert, the orchestra will feature Young Artists Auditions First Place winner, Henry Auxenfans. Henry is a 16-year-old French-Taiwanese American violinist from Aurora, Illinois. At age 10, he had his Carnegie Weill Hall debut, then performed solo again at Weill Recital Hall at age 14. As a soloist, Henry has performed with the United States Marine Chamber Orchestra in Washington D.C., Chicago’s Civic Orchestra, Lakeview Symphony as well as Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras.

Henry has been honored with multiple regional, national, and international prizes, including First Prizes at the 2022 ‘The President’s Own’ United States Marine Band Concerto Competition, New York International Artists Association Violin Competition, Lakeview Symphony Young Artist, 2022 & 2018 Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competitions, Enkor International, and second prize at the 2020 Arthur Grumiaux International Competition in Belgium. He also serves as concertmaster of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.

“Henry is an extraordinary young man with exceptional talent,” noted Amber Broderick, DSO General Manager. “Listening to his YAA audition was like listening to a world class soloist. You would think that he was 45-years old and at the height of his musical career, instead of being at the very beginning. We are thrilled to share Henry's talent with our audiences through our Young Artists Auditions educational programming, which allows local high school musicians the opportunity to perform with the DSO.”

Henry will perform movements I & III of the Violin Concerto of Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. The Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 53, was written in 1879. It is considered one of the masterpieces of Dvořák’s so-called Slavic period. It is famous for its compelling folkloric melodies and overall positive expression. The concerto is one of Dvořák’s most popular and most frequently performed works, and DuPage Symphony is happy to feature young prodigy Henry Auxenfans presenting this piece.

Along with the violin concerto, the concert will present other compositions that will prove one more time that music is a universal language that doesn’t need translation. Passion, emotion, and the depth of soul expressed in music can be easily understood in any part of the world by people speaking different languages.

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Overture will impress the audience. Rimsky-Korsakov completed Russian Easter Overture in 1888. This piece will showcase the beauty of melodies that are employed from the Russian Orthodox liturgy found in a collection of old liturgical chants called the Obikhod. These chants date back many centuries and were first published in 1772. This composition is also known as Bright Holiday, in keeping with the Russian Orthodox name for Easter. Rimsky-Korsakov’s deep appreciation for Russia’s pagan and early Christian history is shown in this overture.

The audience will also have a chance to hear Richard Strauss’s exuberant tone poem Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28. It was completed by 1895 and first performed in Köln that year under the composer’s baton. This tone poem is written in the rondo form. It has everything – sense of humor, musical technique that shows the unique personality of the main character, various musical colors and themes that express his episodic nature, and interesting content based on tales about Till Eulenspiegel. He was a mysterious man who, according to tales, lived in the 1300s. It is one of the most magical compositions written by Richard Strauss, and the galloping twists and turns of this music will capture everyone’s attention.

Victor Herbert’s charming Irish Rhapsody will be another masterpiece performed at this concert. It is a great time to celebrate Irish music since St. Patrick’s Day is March 17. Herbert was an Irish-born American composer of operettas and light music. His Irish Rhapsody (1892) was composed for the Gaelic Society of New York and was very popular. The work symbolizes his strong identification with all things Irish. “Victor Herbert's name might not be well-known, but his music is lovely,” noted Broderick. “He perfectly captures the verdant beauty of Ireland through his use of folk tunes and bright woodwind colors.”

For tickets, please go to https://www.dupagesymphony.org/. Tickets are $15-$43. Student tickets are $5 with the code STUDENT5.

Natalia Dagenhart