University String Orchestra to perform concert Feb. 27

Bob Jones University’s String Orchestra will present “Classics for Strings” Monday at 5:30 p.m. in War Memorial Chapel. The performance is directed by Yuriy Leonovich, a faculty member in the department of instrumental studies. 

Rather than conducting the performance, Leonovich will perform as part of the ensemble. “Last April, we started performing without a conductor,” he said. “I rehearse the group with a baton from the podium, but in performances, I play the bass in the ensemble.” Leonovich said. “The audience will experience a chamber orchestra playing their favorite musical works.”  

The String Orchestra has existed under various names since 2005, and its purpose is to train and expose students to standard orchestral repertoire. Leonovich has been conducting the orchestra for 10 years, and he said he enjoys watching his students grow as musicians. 

The orchestra holds two concerts each semester. This year’s performance, “Classics for Strings,” will feature music from the Baroque and Classical periods, written by composers such as Luigi Boccherini and Jean-Philippe Rameau. But the centerpiece of the performance will be “Winter,” a piece written by composer Antonio Vivaldi as part of his “Four Seasons.” Brandon Ironside, an instructor in the Division of Music, will perform the piece on the violin. 

“I think students attending this concert are going to walk away filled with joy,” Ironside said, “if they let themselves set aside their daily cares and listen for the little nuances and allow their imaginations to paint a picture of what this music might be depicting.” 

The performance is open to all BJU students.