I’ve danced around this soundscapes theme in the past, partly because it conveys so much in such a single word. For me, the ultimate pleasure in music occurs when a composer connects intent, melody and harmony with timbre and tone – the “color of sound.” Such soundscapes reveal so much about a composer’s time period and culture. We take for granted how instruments have evolved, and how composers use instrumentation to add depth and perception to their music. True, composers rely on “conventional” instruments like the harpsichord to create that quintessential “baroque” sound. But we often overlook that the English horn’s plaintive soul, the xylophone’s rap and pinging, and the muting of strings add contrasting colors that subliminally connect our perception to the music’s drama. This imaginative use of instruments, along with melody and harmony, create soundscapes that are as vivid as a painting bound by its own picture frame. I had a high school teacher say that the true color of the sky is azure.  Now I reflect on each instrument’s sound (timbre), how those sounds modify the music (tone), and marvel at the similarities between a composer with an orchestra and an artist with a palette of colors.

The Hastings Symphony Orchestra’s 87th season features a colorful array of vocalists and instrumentalists ranging from angelic to mesmerizing. Soprano soloists Jamie Call Reimer and Julie Clawson, The South Central Nebraska Children’s Chorale, Dr. Jonathan Sokasits, and The American Chamber Players bring an amazing musical presence to the stage, and will undoubtedly inspire our lives with their music. I hope you will take advantage of these fine performances as you continue to support the arts in our community and south central Nebraska. I look forward to seeing you in September.

Musically Yours,

Dr. Byron Jensen

Conductor/Artistic Director

with support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment