Carolyn Sidoti ’19 gave her senior violin recital in the Natalie Davis Recital Hall on April 20. Sidoti is from Long Island, N.Y. and is double majoring in Mathematics and Music. She studies under Associate Professor of Music Christopher Para and has been in the University’s Orchestra for all four of her years at the University. She has served as section leader since her sophomore year. In addition to the orchestra, Sidoti has also been part of a number of chamber music ensembles.

Sidoti’s program consisted of music spanning multiple time periods and styles. She performed “Melodie from Orfeo and Euridice” composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) arranged by Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), “Impromptu for Violin and Piano” composed by Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959), “Five Pieces for Violin and Piano” composed by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975), “Paraphrase on Two Russian Folksongs” composed by Kreisler, and “Concerto No. 1 in C Major” (Hob VIIa:1) composed by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809).

“Melodie from Orfeo and Euridice” is a piece taken from a larger work of the composer, the second act of “Orfeo and Euridice,” an opera based on the Greek myth of Orpheus. This particular arrangement of the piece is very lyrical and contains an emotional, singing melody.

“Impromptu for Violin and Piano” contains three short movements: “Poco Allegro,” “Andante Moderato,” and “Allegretto Moderato.” The first movement is a fast-paced piece consisting of interesting chords. This differs greatly from the second piece, which is much slower and more lyrical. The final movement is an upbeat piece that closed the whole work. All three movements contain bitonal chords, which add an interesting effect to the tonality of the piece as a whole.

“Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano” is a trio, which Sidoti performed with violinist Korliss Britt ’20 and University accompanist and organist David Cover. The piece includes a Prelude, Gavotte, Elegy, Waltz, and Polka. The Prelude was taken from a score composed by Shostakovich for “The Gadfly,” a 1955 movie. It has clear influences from Johannes Brahms, with its slow introduction and beautiful melody. Contrasting the mysterious Prelude is the Gavotte, an upbeat French folk dance. The Elegy takes the piece back to a slow, beautiful melody with rolling chords in the base of the piano. This is followed by a Waltz, another upbeat dance which Shostakovich originally composed for the cartoon “The Tale of the Priest and his Servant Balda” in 1933. Finally, the piece concludes with a lively, exciting Polka.

Sidoti concluded her recital with Haydn’s “Concerto No. 1 in C Major.” Haydn originally composed this piece for Luigi Tommasini, a famous Italian violinist. The piece contains typical pieces of the classical music period, which Haydn composed during. It encompasses an upbeat melody over an interesting accompaniment by the piano.

Prior to joining the University’s Music Department, Sidoti was a violinist in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. With the orchestra, Sidoti performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.  She also served as concertmaster while the orchestra was touring in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian.