Sweet Suites

On the outside, the Powell Library is a fixture on a modern, ever-evolving college campus. On the inside, however, it is a time capsule, walking the line between past and present.

Tonight, Powell Library will host a concert from the “Music in the Rotunda” series that blends classic and contemporary music. At 8 p.m., five members of the UCLA Cello Studio, the Herb Alpert School of Music’s performance ensemble specifically for cello, will put on a concert in Powell Library’s rotunda entitled “Sweets.” The concert will feature three of Johann Sebastian Bach’s six suites for cello, in addition to two more contemporary cello pieces from the 20th and 21st centuries. Admission to the concert is free and seating is unreserved.

Bach’s cello suites have long been a standard in the world of classical cello, according to Antonio Lysy, professor of cello and director of the UCLA Cello Studio.

“Bach’s suites are probably the most important repertoire written for cello, (and are) certainly some of the most challenging … It’s one of those things that every cellist … will have wanted to perform,” Lysy said.

Christopher Ahn, a doctoral student of musical performance, said that the longevity of the suites cemented their lasting importance.

“They’ve managed to last all these centuries, from the 17th century until now, so I think that on its own speaks to how valuable they are to us,” Ahn said.

Ahn will be playing the fourth suite at the concert tonight. The second suite will be played by Jonathan Thomson, a doctoral student of musical performance, and the sixth suite will be played by Alexandra Roedder, who is pursuing both a Master’s degree in music performance and a doctorate in musicology.

According to Lysy, Roedder will be playing the sixth suite on a cello modified to closer resemble the type of cello that would have been available in Bach’s time. Most notably, the modified cello will have five strings instead of the four strings of a standard cello, making it possible to play a greater range of notes on the instrument.

Interspersed among Bach’s suites in tonight’s concerts will be two more contemporary cello pieces. Jasmine Lau, a second-year music performance student, will be playing “Omaramor” by Osvaldo Golijov. Phoebe Ping, a third-year music performance student, will be playing “Serenade” by Hans Werner Henze.

Lau said that she believes the blend of music from different time periods is a great aspect of the concert.

“I think what’s really cool about (the concert) is that is covers the two opposite ends of the spectrum of musical history,” she said.

Ping said that the room for personal interpretation in her piece made preparing for this concert a rewarding experience.

“I have to figure out what I want for this piece,” she said. “And I think it’s been a really good learning experience for me in that way.”

The environment in the rotunda will accent tonight’s performances. According to Lysy, Bach wrote these suites with religious ideals in mind, and that the pieces fit best in a church-like atmosphere.

“The Powell Library has that atmosphere and architecture and acoustics, so it’s very appropriate and very welcoming for both the performers and the audience,” Lysy said.

Lysy also said the concert was beautifully organized by Catherine Brown, the Powell Library staff member in charge of organizing the “Music in the Rotunda” series.

Members from the UCLA Cello Studio will perform another concert in April, which will feature Bach’s first, third and fifth suites for cello.

“I think (students) can get a sense of what the cello can do,” Ping said of the concert. “We’re not just accompanists. We can cover a wide range of music.”