An Afternoon of Energy and Elegance Awaits in Gray Chapel

By 1808Delaware

There are some concerts that feel routine, and then there are programs that are clearly built with intention. This upcoming performance by the Central Ohio Symphony falls firmly in the second category.

Set for Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 PM inside Gray Chapel on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University, the concert brings together a mix of faculty performers from across Ohio and a program that moves with real purpose, from contemporary work to early 19th century masterwork.

A Program That Actually Builds

Opening with A Tempered Wish by Ching-chu Hu, the concert immediately signals that this is not just another Beethoven-and-friends lineup. The piece, written in 2007, gives COS Concertmaster Tom Sobieski a featured role, and it sets a modern tonal palette before shifting into more familiar territory.

From there, the program pivots into Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1, which is anything but conventional. It is witty, sharp-edged, and occasionally irreverent. Pianist Bruce Murray is joined by trumpeter Dale Nawrocki, and that pairing is the key to the piece. If it works, it really works. If it doesn’t, it falls flat. That tension alone makes it worth hearing live.

The first half closes with Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, which is a completely different animal. Where Shostakovich leans into irony, Ravel leans into color and precision. The slow movement in particular is one of those moments that can stop a room if handled correctly.

Beethoven, But Not the Obvious Choice

After intermission, the orchestra turns to Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4. And this is where the programming shows some intelligence.

The Fourth Symphony often gets overshadowed by the Third and Fifth, but that actually works in its favor. It is lighter on its feet, more playful, and in some ways more structurally elegant. Under the direction of Jaime Morales-Matos, it has the potential to come across as energetic rather than heavy.

If you are trying to bring in an audience that might not want a full evening of intensity, this is exactly the right Beethoven to program.

Why This One Is Worth Your Time

There is a tendency with local orchestral concerts to assume you know what you are getting. That assumption does not quite hold here.

You have:

A contemporary work with a direct local academic connection
A genuinely playful Shostakovich concerto that depends on chemistry
One of the most refined piano concertos in the repertoire
A Beethoven symphony that rewards attention rather than overwhelms

And importantly, you have performers who are not just visiting artists, but active faculty shaping music education across Ohio. That combination gives the afternoon a sense of place. It is not just a concert. It is a snapshot of the region’s musical ecosystem.