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PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTIST

CELLO SHOT. Joshua Roman will perform with Northwest Sinfonietta Sept. 8.

Cellist takes on ambitious effort

By John Larson

Joshua Roman has made quite an impression since becoming the youngest principal in the history of Seattle Symphony. Roman, 23, was hired as principal cellist in summer 2006.

In addition to his work with the symphony, Seattle Chamber Music Festival and the Town Hall performance series, Roman has won over the rock crowd with cello performances in Seattle nightclubs.

Christophe Chagnard, founder and conductor of Northwest Sinfonietta, first met Roman in May. In Seattle in July, they performed three concertos: Joseph Haydn's "Cello Concerto in D," Robert Schumann's "Cello Concerto in A minor" and Dmitri Shostakovich's "Cello Concerto in E flat." The same pieces will be performed this weekend in Tacoma.

Chagnard said it was Roman's idea to do the three concertos in one night, which he describes as a very rare feat. "Very few soloists can pull it off," Chagnard said. He feels Roman's "youth, and all the strengths that come with it," are why he can accomplish this ambitious task. "He has a rare combination of natural talent, enthusiasm and strength."

Chagnard said the three concertos were selected to create a program with distinctive pieces. The Haydn piece is from the classical period, the Schumann piece from the Romantic period and the Shostakovich piece represents 20th century orchestral music.

"It makes for a good contrast," Chagnard pointed out. "Each piece is emotionally very different from the others."

In addition to admiring Roman's endurance and skill, Chagnard likes the fact he is down to Earth. "He is not pretentious at all, although he is quite a star." He is glad a Tacoma audience will have the opportunity to hear Roman. "He will be more of a surprise here. In Seattle, people can see him all the time in their symphony."

Roman's interest in rock music is not unusual, according to Chagnard. "Twenty-first-century musicians have very broad tastes," he acknowledged, noting that many classical musicians listen to rock, jazz and music of numerous ethnic groups. "Good music is good music," he remarked.

Chagnard is enthusiastic about what the 2007-08 season has in store for Northwest Sinfonietta, which he co-founded in 1991. Some new musicians have been hired, and it will have more strings this year, he said.

The theme for this season is "Beethoven Revealed – The Grace and the Fury." Next April, there will be a performance of Ludwig von Beethoven's 9th Symphony, which Chagnard called "the Mount Everest of classical pieces."

While this marks the 180th anniversary of Beethoven's death, Chagnard said any year would be an appropriate time to explore and celebrate the works of the legendary German composer. "We don't need a reason to do Beethoven. The music is so immense in its scope and spirituality. You never get bored with Beethoven."

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