Every year, Choate audiences have the pleasure of watching professional arts performance groups grace the stage at Ann and George Colony Hall. On Thursday, April 20, Choate hosted the Hartt Orchestra from the University of Hartford for a concert. Under the baton of Dr. Edward Cumming, the Director of Orchestral Activities at The Hartt School, and Ms. Britney Alcine, a doctoral conducting student at Hartt, the group performed Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5” and Lowell Liebermann’s “Flute Concerto” with soloist Ms. Seung-Hyun Seo.
Planning for the concert was challenging given the many different activities and events that happen through the day. “Simply adding something into the calendar isn’t something that is easy to do because it affects so many other departments and other people on campus,” said Choate’s Orchestra Director Mr. Gene Wie. However, after reaching a consensus on a date and time, the Choate Arts Department was able to make it happen.
Although going off campus to see a concert is a unique experience, Mr. Wie recognized that many Choate students don’t have time to go to a formal orchestra concert due to their busy schedules. Therefore, he decided to bring an orchestra to Choate instead.
Through the concert, “our school community gets a chance to hear … symphonic music by local musicians,” he said. “Hartt is only the first program here … we’ll get to see the groups from Yale at some point in the next school year as well.” Mr. Wie also hopes that students at Choate “enjoy what they see and hear, and that they are inspired to keep playing their instruments.”
The performance resonated with many students, including trumpet player Bowen Jin ’26, who said, “The concert taught me a lot about how professional orchestras sound.” As a brass player, Jin thinks it’s crucial “to understand when to blend in and when to stand out within the orchestra.” He particularly enjoyed Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5” being performed live, praising the orchestra’s ability to connect with the audience. “I loved how the orchestra flowed through the piece, and how it really touches the audience,” said Jin.
Harper Marsden-Uren ’26 also appreciated the performance and “thought the orchestra exemplified exactly what the Choate Rosemary Hall Orchestra always strives for: passion and integrity in every piece.” As a cellist, Marsden-Uren called the Tchaikovsky symphony’s performance “a lively and gorgeous rendition of an already beautiful piece.”
Choate orchestra violinist Beatrice Kim ’26 shared, “It was especially interesting to watch Dr. Cumming conduct the Hartt Orchestra. He chose not to use a baton and did not stand on the podium. Instead, he used his arms and whole body to conduct.”
This was not Dr. Cumming’s first visit to Choate. Earlier this year, he conducted a joint orchestra made up of Choate and Deerfield Academy string players at the inaugural Choate-Deerfield Music Day. Some Choate students also experienced playing with Ms. Alcine when she conducted the Symphony Orchestra at the Connecticut Music Educators Association Southern Regionals Festival.
From watching the Hartt Orchestra’s performance, students were able to learn from a more professional orchestra and acquire new techniques that could be implemented in their own musical endeavors. Marsden-Uren said, “Watching an orchestra, especially one as accomplished as the Hartt Orchestra, always reignites my love for classical music and the pursuit of excellence in music. It inspired me even further to bring their level of dedication to the Choate Rosemary Hall Orchestra.”
