BBHS quartet to test their skills in next Chamber Music Society show
November 7, 2024 at 12:15 a.m.
When the Westchester Chamber Music Society (WCMS) introduced a youth initiative in 2023, Blind Brook High School Band Director Brian Lotze was keen to be a part of it.
“I think it’s a very admirable program,” he said. “We have so many musicians who play these chamber music instruments, but there’s a separation between what they play on them and what they are used to listening to. I think this program is a cool way to tell them that there’s a community who really enjoy this type of music.”
The program invites students from Westchester to participate in one of the group’s concerts hosted at the synagogue Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester at 2125 Westchester Ave. in Rye.
After the younger musicians perform as the opening act for the professionals, they’re invited to a masterclass taught by the night’s headliners.
For Peter Schlactus, a Rye Brook resident who sits on the board of the WCMS and was a driving force behind the initiative’s creation, the goal was to allow young musicians the chance to see a show they might not otherwise be able to.
“By bringing these world class ensembles and artists to the local community and holding concerts and keeping the costs of attending well below what it is to experience these same artists in venues like those in New York City,” he said. “And they get a chance to learn from some incredibly talented musicians.”
According to Schlactus, Blind Brook High School was slated to be among the first schools to participate in the initiative, but scheduling conflicts prevented it.
“We just weren’t able to make it happen at the time,” Lotze recalled. “But I stayed in contact with (the WCMS) and worked towards getting some of our musicians there.”
That goal will be achieved at the group’s concert on Sunday, Nov. 10, which will feature high school senior flautist Rachel Horn, junior flautist Lianne Ferentz, junior oboist Jocelyn Zheng and junior pianist Abigail Weintraub performing before the Frisson Ensemble.
Lotze said he selected the quartet because he felt they would be able to draw the most from the program.
“I knew that they’re really motivated musicians who would really enjoy this challenge,” the teacher said. “At the same time, they’re students I think would be able to handle criticism from the professionals.”
While the students have spent a month preparing for the performance, they’ve been honing their craft for longer.
“I’ve been in band since I was in fourth grade,” Horn said on Thursday, Oct. 31, as Ferentz and Zheng nodded in agreement. “And we’ve all been in the same orchestra outside of school as well.”
The three perform together at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale.
Horn said their time there has exposed them to chamber music—and given her an appreciation for the genre.
“I honestly really love chamber music,” she said. “It’s so different from regular band or orchestra because it’s such a tightknit group. We’re able to interact with each other a lot more and it gives us a chance to make stylistic choices that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to in a bigger group.”
It’s a style of performance that Lotze has spent the last month drawing out of his students.
“They’re already incredible musicians. You can put anything in front of them and they’re able to play it,” he said. “What we focused on during rehearsals was moving away from the technical aspects and towards beings musically intentional.”
Lotze described the concept as musicians taking a piece and making it their own.
“It’s about taking ownership of music by choosing what notes to emphasize or playing with timing,” he said. “I want them to be able to play something in their own way.”
He’s pushing that idea through the piece the quartet will playing that night: Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Reed Pipes.”
The band director said he made the selection for two reasons.
“One, it’s a really famous woodwind piece that stylistically falls into the winter season,” he said. “And two, instrumentation-wise, I thought it would be really fun to work with. Since it’s traditionally performed by a full orchestra, the musical decisions they make are crucial in making the song come to life.”
“It definitely feels like we’re a little more exposed than if we were playing the piece with an orchestra,” Zheng said. Horn added: “We all have bigger roles because we’re carrying more of the music than we usually would.”
But the four are confident in their abilities ahead of the show on Sunday.
“I think we’re ready for this,” Horn said. “The transition from playing with a big band to the small group was really smooth.”
Zheng said they’re looking forward to the show but are most excited to hear feedback from the professionals.
“These are the people who’ve made it,” she said. “I’ve listened to their recordings, and I really like their sound. It’s definitely a little intimidating, but I know it’s going to be a really good learning experience.”
Both Schlactus and Lotze expressed the hope that this won’t be the last time Blind Brook students will play at a WCMS concert.
“It’s their first time partnering with us, but I’m confident we’ll do this again,” Schlactus said. “I think this program can inspire younger students to see what their peers can achieve not as adults, but as high schoolers.”
A section of free tickets will be available for Blind Brook families, according to Schlactus. “We want to incentivize community members to come and support these students,” he said.
Lotze feels it will motivate students to search for opportunities outside of school.
“My goal as an educator is to facilitate things and let them grow on their own,” he said. “Maybe the next time this happens, I won’t have to choose who plays. Maybe there’s going to be a group of kids who want to play chamber music who volunteer for it. I think there’s a lot of room for them grow.”
Tickets for the Nov. 10 concert are available online at westchesterchambermusicsociety.com/tickets-donations.html for $40 and for $45 at the door for in-person, or $30 for a virtual seat.
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