The Lamont School of Music kicked off its fall season with a bang last week after more than a year without in-person performances at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. While the Lamont School of Music continued to perform during the pandemic, concerts were live-streamed and the orchestra had to be split into various sections to comply with capacity limitations. Last Tuesday was the first time since March 10, 2020, that the orchestra was able to perform all together at an in-person event.

The concert was directed and conducted by Lawrence Golan, an orchestra and opera conductor and professor at the Lamont School of Music. Dr. Stephanie Cheng, a distinguished pianist and fellow professor at Lamont, accompanied the Lamont Symphony Orchestra with an elegant piano solo. The orchestra performed sweeping pieces from the German composers Robert and Clara Schumann as well as the masterful Ludwig van Beethoven. 

“All of our concerts have a balance between the standard repertoire that is firmly established and lesser-known pieces,” Golan said.

Golan went on to add that, “It’s important for students to open up their horizons and play pieces that are off the beaten path. One thing I like to do is present a diverse line-up of pieces and soloists. That means making sure to include pieces by women, people of color, etc.” 

Dr. Cheng jumped at the opportunity to play the piano for Clara Schumann’s piano concerto, which she composed at the age of fourteen.

“Students always ask me, ‘how do you not get nervous when you perform?’ And I always tell them, ‘You can’t. The goal isn’t to make your nerves go away, the goal is to become friends with your nerves.’ To do that you need to be on stage as often as possible, so it was difficult when we did not have that option for so long,” said Cheng. 

Now that performances are back in full swing at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, attendees must register for seats beforehand, show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test and wear their masks at all events. 

Both Golan and Cheng will be performing pieces from Robert and Clara Schumann along with the York Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania on Saturday, Oct. 30, which you can stream here. Tickets vary depending on the event. You can find and register for the variety of upcoming events at the Newman Center, including the annual ‘Night at the Opera’ production, here.