For students in the music department, playing in the UCLA
Philharmonia is a way to earn credits. For fourth-year biology
student and Philharmonia member Ketan Shah, it’s a way to
relax.
“I’ve always studied music and it gives me a chance
to get away from all the biology stuff,” said Shah, who
started playing the violin when he was five. “It’s a
part of me.”
Shah plays first violin in the Philharmonia’s first
concert of the year tonight in Schoenberg Hall. He is one of ten or
so students who are in the Philharmonia but are not in the music
department. The number of students in the Philharmonia who are not
studying music has decreased as UCLA’s music department has
grown. String students in the music department can now fill almost
an entire string section.
“This year I think we have the best orchestra we’ve
had in 10 years,” said Philharmonia conductor Jon Robertson.
“As our department grows, the quality of our majors (i.e.
music students) increases…There are a number of non-majors, but
they too are very good.”
Robertson notes that he is inclusive. In fact, he started a new
orchestra with all non-music students in the strings. They meet on
Mondays, and Robertson auditions new talent every quarter.
“There’s a lot of kids who’ve taken violin for
years but they’re in chemistry or in a lot of other
regions,” Robertson said.
Robertson also programs his concerts with diverse audiences in
mind. Antonin Dvorak’s eighth symphony is a staple of the
classical repertoire, but it’s also full of drama and melody
that’s hard to resist. Shah says it’s one of his
favorites to play. Vocal professor Juliana Gondek will perform
several folk songs arranged by Joseph Canteloube. UCLA composition
Professor Roger Bourland’s “Ozma” is his musical
take on “The Wizard of Oz.”
“It’s fun music, for sure,” Robertson said
about the Bourland piece.
Robertson hopes to draw more students to the concert with the
unconventional program.
“Very often people involved in classical music would like
people to stop listening to every other type of music and just like
classical music,” Robertson said. “I’m totally
against that. I’m simply saying, why don’t we add this
to your diverse listening possibilities.”
The Philharmonia is composed of around 70 students, the majority
of whom are in the string section. Because of the demand (at least
20 violins alone), the string section has often incorporated
students from outside the music department.
Shah has been in the violin section of the Philharmonia for all
his four years at UCLA. While he sees his future in the field of
medicine, Shah is grateful to have the opportunity to play in an
orchestra.
“I thought about doing a double major to pursue
music,” Shah said. “Medicine is the way I want it to
go, but I definitely don’t want to lose this.”
The UCLA Philharmonia performs at 8 p.m. tonight at Schoenberg
Hall. Tickets are $7 general admission, $3 for students.