SALT LAKE CITY — Thirteen dedicated and talented young musicians performed on the Abravanel Hall stage Tuesday evening in the 56th annual Salute to Youth concert.
Sponsored by the Deseret News, Salute to Youth seeks to celebrate the efforts and skills of young musicians and inspire others for years to come.
“The Deseret News is honored to sponsor the 56th Annual Salute to Youth conc ert on the momentous occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Utah Symphony,” Paul Edwards, editor and publisher, wrote on behalf of the Deseret News. “Abravanel Hall rarely shines as bright as when the most talented young musicians in the state showcase their artistry alongside the Utah Symphony.”
The musicians, ages 12-20, performed their pieces with passion and confidence. Many spent months — and in some cases years — preparing for the Salute to Youth competition and performance.
Jeremy David Lewis, 14, was one of the violinists in the quartet that opened the concert with the first movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins in B minor Op. 3 No. 10. Lewis auditioned for Salute to Youth with this piece last year, but fell just short of qualifying for the concert.
“I’ve been waiting for this a long time,” Lewis said prior to the performance.
Lewis and the other violinists moved their bows in unison and played the lively piece with vigor. The members of the quartet carefully listened to each other as one violinist would play the melody and the others would lightly accompany. The other violinists were McCall Andersen, 14; Erika Hubbard, 15; and William Yavornitzky, 18.
Following the quartet, Mischael Ann Staples, 17, performed the third movement of Dittersdorf’s Harp Concerto in A Major. With 90 pedal changes, the piece was ambitious and intricate. Staples put much expression into her performance, simultaneously looking focused and playful. As she finished her last note, Staples pulled her arms away from the harp in a manner of great satisfaction.
Violinist Rachel Call, 13, performed the third movement of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major for Violin, Viola and Orchestra alongside violist Madison Marshall, 16. As the melody bounced between the two soloists, the performance resembled that of a dance. Call and Marshall faced each other and moved in rhythm to the song, even giving an occasional smile at times.
Sally Drutman, 20, was the only vocal performance of the evening, which was “kind of intimidating," she said.
“I didn’t even expect to make it to finals," she said prior to the concert. "To win it and be singing ... I haven’t been shaking in my boots this much in a long time. There’s a lot more excitement than nerves. I can’t wait to see what happens.”
Drutman performed Donizetti’s “Quel Guard oil Cavaliere" from the opera "Don Pasquale." She described her piece as “sarcastic.”
The sarcasm was well projected in Drutman’s performance as she let out a melodic laugh among all of her impressive high notes.
Pianist Alexander Cheng, 14, brought a dynamic end to the first half with the first movement of MacDowell’s Concerto No. 2 in D minor for piano and orchestra. While the orchestra played the introduction, Cheng swayed on the piano bench, deeply connected to the music. His fingers dashed up and down the piano keys playing magnificent chords, resulting in a standing ovation.
The second half began with 12-year-old Hannah Jean Baker, the daughter of violinist Jenny Oaks Baker. She performed the first movement of Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1 in C major for piano and orchestra. Her fingers played quick, intricate passages, and she ended the piece with a powerful cadenza that brought the audience to its feet.
Flutist Ashley Fleming, 18, began developing her musical skills 13 years ago on a $15 plastic flute.It was easy to tell from watching Fleming perform the second movement of Ibert’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra that the instrument really is her passion. Fleming effortlessly navigated between light-hearted, delicate themes and more passionate legato melodies.
Following Fleming’s performance, Soonyoung Kwon, 12, performed the first movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin in D Major, Op 7 No. 1. Kwon dug his bow deep into the string and played the piece with gusto, his fierce vibrato ringing throughout the hall.
Trenton Chang, 17, closed the concert with the third movement of Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 in C minor for piano and orchestra.
“(Music) is just something that to me is naturally fun,” he said prior to the performance.
The audience had just as much fun watching Chang as his facial expressions matched the intensity of the piece, and his fingers moved across the piano with incredible speed. Chang brought the audience to its feet. The loud standing ovation was the perfect way to end the evening.
“To the younger kids out there, hopefully this inspires them to play music and practice harder so they can play with the Symphony one day,” Cheng said.
“(Salute to Youth) is a story about the successful pursuit of artistic accomplishment,” Edwards wrote. “It is a story worth telling year after year.”
Email: lpeterson@deseretnews.com