Last week’s Friday Favorite concert featuring Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons was a smashing success. We thought you would enjoy hearing what our talented North Carolina Symphony soloists had to say about the experience.

Jacqueline Saed Wolborsky, Associate Principal Violin II, “Spring”
The last time I played The Four Seasons was with Joshua Bell in Budapest, Hungary. I was playing in a small, international chamber orchestra and traveled throughout Europe for four performances of The Four Seasons with Josh.

"Spring" is probably the most recognizable and often heard season of Vivaldi's work. As much as I've played it, Vivaldi's incredibly early example of programmatic music never gets old. I love how interactive this season is between the solo violin and the orchestra- this is probably the reason I chose to play it. The opening movement begins with birds chirping in flourishing trills throughout the Solo Violin, Concertmaster and Principal Second. It is amazing how Vivaldi continues to represent fierce thunderstorms back and forth with arpeggiated triplets in the Solo Violin and interruptions of tremolo in the rest of the orchestra. The second movement is a masterpiece as the Solo Violin represents a shepherd and the violas, his dog. The undulating rhythms performed by the rest of the orchestra represent the rustling leaves amidst the flower-strewn meadow while the goatherd sleeps. This movement is magical.

There are always some butterflies as I get ready to perform with an orchestra. This orchestra knocked them right out as I began to play with them. I was so inspired by their exuberant energy and gorgeous sound, that I couldn't help but have the most incredible time standing in front of this glorious orchestra. The best part of this experience was realizing how lucky I am to be one of the members of the North Carolina Symphony.

David Kilbride, Assistant Principal Violin II, “Summer”
To prepare for the performance of "Summer," I took a lesson with my former teacher and mentor, Dr. James Stern, and a period performance specialist, Elizabeth Field. Articulations were discussed, as well as bowings, tempi, and places to try out some ornamental figures. They coached me to bring out the elements mentioned in the poem that accompanies the music. This piece is one of the earliest programmatic works, if not the earliest. There are several translations available. I chose the most descriptive, if not the most poetic. I strove to make myself feel the "laziness from the heat"; to make the call of the cuckoo, turtledove, and goldfinch discernible; the "complaint of the villager" plaintive; the south and north winds "gentle" and "moving" respectively; and I tried to make the "violent summer weather" as violent as I could without hurting anyone. I think I did manage to "flatten the grain" a bit.

All of this descriptive language translates to the violin through certain technical devices. Loads of string crossings were written in purposefully to convey the aforementioned violent weather. Trills are effective bird calls. Having freedom of rhythm through a melodic section makes for a good weeping shepherd.

I feel fortunate to be in an orchestra that is in a growing metropolitan area with a thriving arts community. It is noticeable as a performer when you have the support of savvy crowd. To have this opportunity to perform with my colleagues whom I respect so much was a great honor.

Rebekah Binford, Assistant Concertmaster, “Winter”
Preparing Vivaldi’s “Winter” was a wonderful adventure for me. Vivaldi’s delightful impressionistic work The Four Seasons is conceptually and stylistically way ahead of its time. Each season is a jewel all its own. Being a featured soloist with the Symphony is a far different thing than being a part of a section within the orchestra. Being one fourth of the featured soloists is yet another. I have been asked if it wasn’t a bit like a competition. Perhaps surprisingly to some and wonderfully to me, there was, from the inception of the idea, a wonderful sense of support and encouragement amongst the four soloists. We collaborated on an early rehearsal sans orchestra where each of us played the supporting parts to the soloist. We coordinated parts to concur with each soloist’s bowings and stylistic details. This was valuable because the actual rehearsal time allotted the Seasons was necessarily limited. Rehearsal time for all four concertos was just over three hours. I rehearsed “Winter” with orchestra for less than 30 minutes total!

The memory I cherish most from the performances was entering the stage to experience the enthusiastically warm smiles and encouraging welcome from my colleagues as well as our loyal audience. I am intensely proud to be a part of an orchestra that has such depth in the quality of its musicians. That we support and encourage each other without egos getting in the way is, I believe unusual and very special.