Guests who stay in Breckenridge vacation rentals often don’t realize what a rich and talented pool of musicians the Breckenridge Music Festival brings to town.
Friday, June 19, the National Repertory Orchestra, otherwise known as the NRO, opened their summer season (which runs through Aug. 7) with 87 of the most brilliant young musicians worldwide. Conductor Carl Topilow sits through more than 800 auditions and chooses the top 87 to come to Breckenridge. Of the more than 4,000 musicians that have gone through the program, most of them have landed prestigious positions in some of the world’s best symphonies.
The NRO expects the best from every performer throughout its demanding summer schedule: The musicians learn — and perform — an entire nine-month orchestral season, which comprises 29 concerts, in only eight weeks.
The quality of music often surprises visitors in Breckenridge vacation rentals, because unlike the locals, they often don’t know much about the NRO’s distinguished reputation.
One of the best parts of NRO concerts is that guests staying in Breckenridge lodging don’t have to be familiar with orchestral music to enjoy the concerts at the Riverwalk Center. Conductor Carl Topilow strives to help audiences connect with the music, as he talks about interesting sounds to listen for during a piece, or tells stories about what the composer was thinking while writing the music, or what his or her circumstances were.
This summer, the NRO season will be even more exciting, because the nonprofit organization is celebrating its 50th year! That’s right: The NRO — despite various financial challenges, name changes and home locations — has persevered, thanks to community support, and is now going strong.
Founded in 1960 in Estes Park, the orchestra began as the Blue Jeans Symphony. After six years, it moved to Evergreen, changed its name to the Colorado Philharmonic and performed in a junior high school while staying in substandard housing, which Carl Topilow refers to as very rustic.
When the facilities didn’t improve after 20 years, the organization moved to Keystone Resort and played in a tent at the base of the mountain. It was there, in 1986, that they changed their name to the National Repertory Orchestra. In 1993 the musicians began to perform in Breckenridge’s Riverwalk Center.
Carl Topilow has been conducting the NRO for 32 years. During the regular orchestra season, he lives in Cleveland, Ohio and conducts the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and the orchestra at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He also travels worldwide to be a guest conductor with top symphonies, where he usually runs into a few NRO alumni. In fact, the only place he hasn’t found an NRO alumnus is in the Czech Republic.
This summer, he welcomes some of the top NRO alumni, including JoAnn Falletta — whom the The New York Times called “one of the finest conductors of her generation” — Joseph Alessi, the principal trombonist from the New York Philharmonic and Richard Killmer, the first NRO oboist ever.
Tickets range in price from $22 to $32. If you’re staying at a Breckenridge vacation rental, the Riverwalk Center is just a short walk or free shuttle away. For more information on Breckenridge music featuring the NRO, visit www.nromusic.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment