The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra presented its first Masterworks Series concert of the 2026-27 season Oct. 3, at Purdue Fort Wayne.
Long-time music director Andrew Constantine left the position in May, and the search for his replacement is ongoing. While the search continues, there will be a series of guest conductors this season.
Saturday's concert was conducted by Alastair Willis, the music director of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. He will serve as the Philharmonic’s interim musical adviser. He was born in Acton, Massachusetts and lived in Russia for five years before settling in Surrey, England, and has degrees from Bristol University and Rice University.
The concert began with the 2007 single-movement cello concerto by Errollyn Wallen, who was named Master of the King’s Music by King Charles III in 2024. She was born in Belize in 1958 and moved to London, England, when she was a child. She studied dance in London and New York City, then decided to become a composer and musician, returning to the United Kingdom, where she studied at Goldsmiths’ College and King’s College. The cello soloist in Wallen’s concerto was the American musician Madelyn Kowalski, who earned degrees from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
The concerto is scored for string orchestra and it begins with a serious solo that is slow, intense, sustained and profound. Kowalski made her cello “sing” the lyrical moments, which featured trills and colorful touches. The orchestra joined in a mysterious and intriguing manner as Willis conducted with just his hands. The music becomes more animated and agitated. The music is very accessible. The performance showcased fine string playing with attention to details. There is a dancelike section which may reflect on Wallen’s experience as a dancer.
There is a lower and ethereal section that presented more solos and musical dialogues that grew in intensity. The strings played a cascading effect, then a broader passage. Kowalski showed skill and feeling. The orchestra showed great sensitivity and ability. The music ends quietly and serenely, leaving the audience wondering what has happened. Yet the overall impression of the concerto was a great example of a modern work that is quite listenable.
The second half of the concert was devoted to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Opus 27. The composer, pianist, and conductor had been reluctant to write another symphony after the critical rejection of his first symphony, which was written in 1895. However, the success of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto and other works encouraged him to write a new symphony, which he did between October 1906 and April 1907. This four-movement work was a resounding success and it was regularly performed and recorded.
For many years, the symphony was performed with cuts due to its length, mainly so it would better fit on 78-rpm discs. In the early 1970s, there was renewed interest in the full work, which can run as long as an hour. This was the case in the Philharmonic’s performance.
Willis used a baton for the symphony, which has a mysterious beginning. The violins play a lush theme with contributions from the winds, cellos, and basses. As Willis told the audience, there are challenges throughout the work for both the conductor and the orchestra. The mood becomes more hopeful as the music builds. The strings dominate the opening, then the winds become more involved as the tempo increases. The melodies are memorable and heartfelt; this was all wonderfully played. There is an exciting passage that is very intense with brilliant brass playing and some colorful percussion. There are lyrical moments which were played with great feeling.
The second movement is a dazzling scherzo which was played with exuberance and precision. This contrasts with a lovely string-dominated slower section. The shift was very impressive and memorable. There is a return to the opening theme that was brilliantly performed. Then, there is an energetic dance that featured incredible string and wind performances, with support from the brass. It becomes more powerful with colorful percussion and a contrasting subtheme in the brass. It takes on a menacing, march-like quality.
The third movement is the slow movement, and includes one of the loveliest themes Rachmaninoff wrote. Indeed, this is a true love song led by lush strings and memorable winds. This was a very moving performance. Willis shaped the phrases carefully, ensuring the music did not drag or lose its intensity. There were some very final individual contributions throughout the movement.
The fourth movement is a truly exciting and spectacular finale, very much a joyous celebration. There are contrasting subdued parts which add to the growing excitement. The music builds to a very intense theme that has a longing quality. The orchestra maintained the emotional magnitude that included passing references to the third movement’s love song and the second movement’s scherzo. It all grew to an exuberant and ecstatic climax.
The heartfelt performance provided a wonderful experience for the audience.