On the evening of February 25th, I had the pleasure of attending the Piano Department DMA Piano Concerto Concert featuring the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra presented by the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at the University of Michigan. This was my first time attending a concert in person post-covid, and just that in itself made this a really special experience for me. Of course, that experience was made extra special by the gorgeous, impressive performance I was able to see.
The concert took place in Hill Auditorium, which is honestly one of my favorite places on campus. No matter what you’re seeing, the auditorium always provides the best atmosphere with its gorgeous details and paneling, and a little block M to finish it off at the top of the dome-shaped ceiling. The acoustics reverberate seamlessly around the room and it provides a chance to really get immersed in the sound. The stage was lit beautifully and the organ was illuminated in the background to provide an incredible backdrop for the performers.
The feeling in the room was very relaxed and joyful. Everyone in the audience was very happy to be watching such a dynamic performance and the passion the performers had for what they were doing came across very clearly. It made me feel part of such a special atmosphere of classical performers loving what they do and an audience that was simply there to appreciate it.
The concert started off with Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major by Ludwig van Beethoven with Yuting Ma on piano. I really enjoyed this piece because of how expressive it was, and how well the piano blended with the entire orchestra. Next was Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major by Ludwig van Beethoven with Yi-Hsuan Lee on piano. This piece was a bit more familiar to me so it was interesting to see a different rendition of it and hear the musicians’ personal take on it. Lastly was Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major by Ludwig van Beethoven with Jie Ren on piano. I especially loved this piece because of the intricate notes and the way it interacted so beautifully with the orchestra. All of the pieces were excellent, and I enjoyed every moment watching and listening to them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this performance. I felt so lucky to be able to witness such beautiful classical music in one of my favorite places, and I can’t wait to see what the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance presents next.
