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A fan of music in movies, Bacco Liu said Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" has been a part of the soundtrack to movies, commercials and, even, cartoons for decades.
Music Director Ryan Haskins, center, and the Sioux City Symphony put on a holiday show Saturday at the Orpheum Theatre.
Ryan Haskins conducts the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra during a rehearsal at the Orpheum Theatre.
Bacco Liu has been working out on his treadmill in anticipation of the next Sioux City Symphony Orchestra (SCSO) concert.
So, why does the concertmaster needs so much cardio for the upcoming show?
Liu, the lead violinist for the SCSO, is being asked to perform the violin concerto for Antonio Vivaldi's legendary "The Four Seasons" as well as contemporary classic composer Max Richter's reworked version of the same piece.
That's right, he'll be playing both pieces, back-to-back, during the same performance as SCSO presents "Immersive Vivaldi," at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St.
"Playing one solo violin concerto can be daunting," Liu explained. "Having two concertos on the same night is unheard of."
Yet conductor Ryan Haskins knew Liu was more than up to the challenge.
"As soon as Bacco understood the concept behind the concert, he was totally on board with it," Haskins said.
This is because "The Four Seasons" -- which dates back to 1723 -- remains one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music ever composed.
Vivaldi's Baroque series of violin concertos has been featured in movies, in advertisements and, even, on episodes of "The Simpsons."
In 2012, Richter, a German-born British composed reworked "The Four Seasons" into a performance piece that incorporates both postmodern music and a light show in a very theatrical fashion.
"The audience must hear both Vivaldi's original work and Richter's recomposition, side-by-side, to understand the impact," Haskins said. "Add strings, electronics and lighting design, people will truly be immersed in Vivaldi during the course of the concert."
Which is fine by Liu, a native of Taiwan, who started playing violin at age 5.
The top youth division prize recipient for the Taiwan National Violin Competition, he went on to earn a master's degree from the Boston Conservatory and a doctorate in music from the University of Minnesota.
Since then, Liu has been concertmaster for several symphony orchestras. In addition, he maintains an active private teaching studio in Minneapolis and teaches music at a Chinese immersive charter school.
"I think young people can have an appreciation of classical music," Liu maintained. "But you have to make it seem relevant to them."
Raised in the age TikTok or through 15-to-30 seconds sound bites, kids often want instant gratification, he concedes.
"For all of its attributes, classical music doesn't lend itself to instant gratification, especially during the course of a symphony concert," Liu said.
To prepare students for an immersion into the classic, he will often give them a unique homework assignment.
"I've always been a fan of movies as well as a fan of movie music," Liu explained. "I will ask students to watch the 'Star Wars' movies without any of (composer) John Williams' music playing in the background."
Students are amazed at how much symphonic music adds to the drama and excitement of George Lucas' iconic sci-fi flicks.
"'Star Wars' is boring without music," Liu said. "Once kids understood the power of power of classical music, they'll also recognize it is also fun to perform."
Haskins is certainly on board with that sentiment. It is also why he wanted to bring "Immersive Vivaldi" to SCSO.
"Performance is all about storytelling," he explained. "Vivaldi was telling the story of the four seasons to audiences in the 18th century. (Richter's) recomposed version takes the music and tells the story in a way that is spacy, trippy and very modern."
Haskins said this is the fresh approach he wants to bring to SCSO concerts.
"We're taking classical music, bringing it life," he continued. "Whether it is through new composers, new adaptations or with lights and electronics, we try to push boundaries."
Having said that, Haskins also wants to impart knowledge during the concert.
"Audiences may think they know all there is to know about Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons,'" he said. "At the performance, I will tell them stories they may have never heard before."
Hopefully, Haskins' version of "VH1 Behind the Music: Antonio Vivaldi" will afford Liu a bit of a breather.
"I'm prepared," Liu said. "Still two violin solos on the same night require a lot of endurance."
WHAT: Sioux City Symphony Orchestra presents "Immersive Vivaldi," featuring violin soloist Bacco Liu
WHERE: Orpheum Theatre, 528 Pierce St., Sioux City
TICKET INFO: 712-277-2111 or siouxcitysymphony.org
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As a kid, Tommy DeCarlo had a dream of playing centerfield for the New York Yankees.
A fan of music in movies, Bacco Liu said Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" has been a part of the soundtrack to movies, commercials and, even, cartoons for decades.
Music Director Ryan Haskins, center, and the Sioux City Symphony put on a holiday show Saturday at the Orpheum Theatre.
Ryan Haskins conducts the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra during a rehearsal at the Orpheum Theatre.
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