FSO presents a little harp magic at the State

Want to go?
• WHAT: Harp Magic
• WHEN: 8 p.m. Feb. 25
• WHERE: Sandusky State Theatre, 107 Columbus Ave., Sandusky  
• COST: $23-26/ticket
• INFO: 419-626-1950, 877-626-1950 or sanduskystate.com

If we played the Sesame Street game “One of these things is not like the other” when looking over all of the instruments in an orchestra, the harp in all of its beauty and majesty would stand out.

Tall, thin, strings galore but a bit awkward, the harp is the anomaly among the woodwinds, percussion and string section. Still, its ethereal sound simultaneously beguiles and perplexes us.

For music lovers looking to learn more, the Firelands Symphony Orchestra is bringing in award-winning harpist and guest performer Cheryl Losey for a performance of Alberto Ginastera’s Concerto for Harp and Orchestra taking place Feb. 25 at the Sandusky State Theatre.

Leading the orchestra will be conductor Carl Topilow, who is very familiar with Losey’s work.

“I know Mr. Topilow from when I was in school at the Cleveland Institute of Music,” said Maine native and current Florida resident Losey, who graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2008. “I’m very excited to work with him again. He was definitely a really important mentor in my life and in my schooling. And I love playing Ginastera’s Concerto. It’s so much fun to play with an orchestra because it’s a lot different than most harp concertos you hear. It’s not just kind of all schmaltz. It’s percussion and brass and kind of upbeat and fast. It’s very exciting to play.”

In many ways Ginastera’s Concerto succeeds in completely revamping people’s perception of the harp. Premiered in 1965, the piece pushes the limits of the harpist’s normally string-based sound requiring a little bit more percussive and rhythmic playing, while also calling for unusual effects on the harp.

“I play with my nails, I play whistle sounds, pedal slides, harmonic, there’s just a lot of different sounds I get to make on the instrument during the piece,” said Losey, who is currently a member of the Sarasota Orchestra. “The piece uses the instrument very well. It uses every finger. I always feel so in shape physically with my fingers as I’m preparing this piece because it really takes a lot of strength from every finger and a lot of tough calluses on each finger. Then playing a concerto with an orchestra makes it a lot more exciting. You get all of the different colors and different instruments that come from the orchestra.”
 In addition to Ginastera’s Concerto, the upcoming program also includes Wagner’s dramatic “Prelude to Die Meistersinger” and Rozsa’s moving “Theme, Variations and Finale,” along with the familiar themes from “Jaws,” “Titanic” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

As for Losey, she’s accomplished quite a lot since graduating from college five years ago. In addition to performing in 18 countries on four continents, in venues from the Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall to the townships of Soweto, South Africa and orphanages of Kingston, Jamaica, her accolades include the Alice Rosner Prize at the Munich International Competition, which is one of the world’s most prestigious music contests.

She also was featured in the public television documentary “Harp Dreams,” which followed six harpists as they prepared to compete in the 2007 USA International Harp Competition.

“There’s always a fascination with the harp,” Mosey said. “A lot of people honestly don’t realize what the harp can do and its possibilities as an instrument. It’s definitely changing. There are so many incredible harpists coming up now and the level of playing is getting so high. Also, there’s a lot more really serious and explorative music being written for the instrument and that makes a huge difference.”
 
As for her upcoming Firelands Symphony Orchestra show, Mosey said, “It definitely won’t be boring. It won’t be one of those dreary, sleep concerts, for sure. I think it’ll keep you excited and entertained.”
 
The Firelands Symphony Orchestra presents guest performer Cheryl Losey at 8 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Sandusky State Theatre, 107 Columbus Ave., Sandusky. Tickets are $23 to $26. Call 419-626-1950 or 877-626-1950, or visit sanduskystate.com.