Zukerman Plays Bach's Violin Concerto

A couple of days ago Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson decided to temporarily close most performing arts venues in SLC, including Abravanel Hall, until December 31 to stop the spread of Covid-19.  This is a necessary measure because cases have been spiking out of control here in Utah.  I understand the need for this but it absolutely breaks my heart because I have been looking forward to several Christmas concerts with the Utah Symphony next month.  I really love hearing Christmas music performed live and so many of the events that I usually enjoy during the holiday season, such as the Lower Lights Christmas concert and the Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert, have already been canceled due to the pandemic so I would be lying if I said this news wasn't a blow.  Thankfully, this weekend's concerts were allowed to proceed and the beautiful program performed last night was such a solace.  Once again the string section of the orchestra was featured and the guest conductor (and soloist!) for the evening was the amazing Pinchas Zukerman, who was simply marvelous.  The concert began with a piece by a young and talented composer named Jessie Montgomery called Starburst.  I really enjoyed this piece because it is dynamic and so full of energy.  Next came Serenade for Strings by Edward Elgar.  I always think of Elgar's music as stately, elegant, and celebratory (one of his most famous works is Pomp and Circumstance) and this particular piece is just lovely.  Zukerman performed the dual roles of conductor and soloist for Johann Sebastian Bach's Violin Concerto.  This piece has some really beautiful melodies and it was obvious that Zukerman was having a lot of fun putting his own flourishes on the solo violin melody as his bow flew up and down the strings.  It was fascinating to watch him play and communicate with the orchestra at the same time.  He received a rousing standing ovation (this was the biggest socially distanced crowd I've seen at Abravanel Hall since this re-imagined season began) for his efforts.  The concert concluded with Symphony No. 29 by my favorite composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!  This piece was composed when Mozart was only 18 but it is absolutely brilliant.  The first movement begins so softly that it almost takes you by surprise but, by the final movement, it is absolutely dazzling and effervescent.  I loved it!  This wonderful concert was just what I needed after feeling a bit blue this week and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets).