There is an annual event in Utah that has become as much a part of the Thanksgiving tradition as the football rivalry between the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. But, unlike football, it's a lot more participant-friendly.
That event is, of course, the Utah Symphony's annual Salute to Youth concert, a fall tradition for 40 years, sponsored by the Deseret News.The Salute to Youth program is a talent showcase for promising young musicians, and it's no exaggeration to say that the soloists on this week's concert are among the best in the state.
Unlike previous years, this concert has only five soloists, so it promises to be a short but intensely rewarding experience for the audience.
The musicians who'll be performing this week are:
-- Deborah Suzanne Ferry, age 8, violinist, playing the Corelli/Geminiani Concerto Grosso No. 12, "La Folia."
-- Yanyan Huang, age 11, pianist, performing the third movement from Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1.
-- Jonathan Coombs, age 16, pianist, doing the Liszt "Totentanz."
-- Ramona Jacob, age 17, cellist, playing the first movement from Elgar's Cello Concerto.
-- Tessy Lund, age 22, violist, performing the first movement from Hindemith's "Der Schwanendreher."
To be in contention for a spot on the Salute to Youth concert, the musicians must place either first or second in their respective divisions in the music competition at the Utah State Fair. After that, they go on to a final audition in Abravanel Hall, where they're judged by members of the Utah Symphony. This year's judges were assistant conductor Kory Katseanes, associate conductor Bundit Ungrangsee, assistant concertmaster David Park, and Judd Sheranian and Frank Weinstock.
In addition to the five who'll be playing with the orchestra this week, the judges also deemed the performances of five other contestants worthy of mention. These honorable mentions are: violinists Rebecca Moench and Emily Orton, pianist Keenan Reesor, trombonist Ryan Williams and soprano Katherine Swigert.
Even though each of these young artists has a different background, they do have one thing in common -- they love playing music and are thinking about becoming professional musicians.
And the significance of playing with the Utah Symphony is not lost on them, either. They understand that the Salute to Youth concert is an excellent springboard for their future musical pursuits. Deborah speaks for all of them when she says that she's excited about playing with the symphony. And Ramona adds, "The Utah Symphony is a great orchestra, and it's a good opportunity for me to play with an orchestra, and it's a chance for people to see who I am."
For all of them, the concert will mark a first. "I've worked on the (Elgar concerto) for about five months, and this will be the first time I'll play it with orchestra," Ramona said.
Ramona comes from a large musical family. "We're 11 kids altogether," she explained, "and we all play an instrument. We've got two string quartets and a piano, and we've been playing together for years. We played a Temple Square concert a couple of years ago.
"We do Beethoven and all the standard quartet repertoire. But now that several of my sisters are married, we don't get much of a chance to play together anymore."
Jonathan said, "It's like a dream to play the 'Totentanz' with the Utah Symphony." For Jonathan, this will be his second Salute to Youth concert. His first appearance was in 1996, when he played the third movement from Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1. And his sister Hillary was also a soloist back in 1991. "I have three sisters and a brother, and we all play the piano, and we've done quite a few concerts together. We play in schools and do benefits, and we've also played on Temple Square."
As young as Deborah is, she is already a seasoned performer. She, too, comes from a large family where music plays an important role. Earlier this year, she made her debut with the Nachtmusik chamber orchestra in Utah County, playing J.S. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins, together with her sister Laura. What made the concert even more memorable was that two other siblings, Michelle and Benson, who play cello, performed the basso continuo part.
As to why she took up the violin, Deborah notes that the kids in her family either play the violin or the cello. "We alternate learning violin or cello, and when it came to me, it was my turn to learn the violin."
Deborah and her family live on a farm in Corinne, and according to her mother, Margaret, who is herself a cellist, it's no easy task getting the kids to Salt Lake City for their weekly music lessons. "We live an hour-and-a half from Salt Lake, and we have to make that trip three times a week." But seeing how successful the family is, makes it all worthwhile. The six children have been busy playing as a group for various functions, and next April they'll be featured in a family concert in Temple Square's Assembly Hall.
Ramona probably best sums up the musical ambitions of these promising young performers when she says, "I want to do my best, and go wherever my cello leads me."
The concert takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. in Abravanel Hall. Keith Lockhart will make his first appearance directing a Salute to Youth concert since being appointed music director of the Utah Symphony last season.
Tickets for the concert range from $9 to $15 and can be purchased by calling ArtTix at (801) 355-ARTS (2787) or 1-888-451-ARTS, or by visiting the ArtTix outlets at Abravanel Hall or the Capitol Theatre.
Utah Symphony subscribers and anyone interested in group discounts should call (801) 533-NOTE (6683).