Aragon’s music department played several pieces with distinguished concert pianist Gil Sullivan and the San Francisco Wind Ensemble on Nov. 7.
Gil Sullivan is a professional concert pianist from Australia. This year, he is embarking on an international tour. He decided to begin the tour at Aragon, working with and playing music with Aragon’s young musicians. “Gill contacted me over a year ago … He was looking at setting up performances and residency as he embarked on this international tour,” says Troy Davis, the band teacher and the conductor of Aragon’s bands. “I told him…we should this at Aragon.”
The concert opened with a performance by a quartet consisting of freshman violinist Sarah Wu, junior violist Ben Goya, sophomore cellist Jonathan Laluces, and Gil Sullivan as the pianist.
Aragon’s wind ensemble then played two pieces, An American Elegy, composed by Frank Tichelli, and Bali, composed by Michael Colgrams. Both pieces were composed to honor a tragedy. An American Elegy was written in memory of those who lost their lives at Columbine High School in 1999, and Bali was written to celebrate and mourn the lives lost in the 2002 terrorist bombing in Bali’s capital, Denpassar. “This is very prevalent in our society nowadays,” says Davis. “Just about a month ago, there was another school shooting here in the [United States], and I thought it was important for us to be able to make a statement about that.”
Aragon’s Chamber Orchestra then performed the three movements of Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 27 in B♭, K595, along with Gil Sullivan. Instead of the regular orchestra layout, in which the conductor, John Chen, would stand at the head of the orchestra and conduct, Gil Sullivan conducted the orchestra from his piano at the front of the stage. Before the performance, he explained that this was the layout for piano concertos during Mozart’s time.
Performing the long and complex piece well required lots of practice. “We got the sheet music … about a month and a half ago,” says junior Alexandra Varallo, who is a violinist in Chamber Orchestra. “A bunch of us … practiced the pieces at home, because the music is somewhat difficult, and so a lot of practice is required so that it can be performed at its finest.”
Chamber Choir spent a lot of time practicing in order to perform seamlessly with Gil Sullivan.“We had many hours of rehearsal with Gil Sullivan. He conducted the orchestra and gave us a lot of advice on technique and phrasing.”
“Gil Sullivan is amazing to work with,” adds Varallo. “He really looks at the big picture and he gives each section a bit of advice so that everyone’s together and the music flows really well.”
Before the final group performed, there was a short intermission. When asked which piece had been the best so far, audience member Paul Patfield says, “I liked the last piece, [the Mozart Piano Concerto].” Patfield also adds, “I have heard [Gil Sullivan’s] name…he’s on a recording I’ve got.”
The concert finished with a performance of Symphony no. 3, “The Apocalyptic,” composed by Thomas Trachsel, by Gil Sullivan, the San Francisco Wind Ensemble, and the Aragon Women’s Choir. “[The San Francisco Wind Ensemble] are our guest artists in residence,” says Davis. “This is the second year that they’re doing this, so they do their performances here and they team up with our students.”
Audience members weren’t limited to just Aragon students. “We came here because we like music,” says Steve Rovno. “I heard it announced on KPFB, the radio,” says Joann Rovno, his wife. “Our kids were in the classes of ‘82 and ‘87, and we live right down the street.” Steve Rovno adds, “I noticed that one of [Gil Sullivan’s] teachers was Paul Badora-Skota. I heard him, in Philadelphia.”
