The EWU Orchestra has remained busy and active during the COVID-19 pandemic. While limited to only string players this year, the orchestra is planning on learning and recording all four of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Seasons concertos. This fall they recorded the “Autumn” concerto with Julia Salerno, PhD, a professor of violin and viola at Eastern. During the winter quarter they will record the “Winter” concerto with Spokane Symphony Concertmaster Mateusz Wolski. During the spring quarter they will record the “Spring” concerto with Spokane Symphony Principal 2nd Violinist Amanda Howard-Phillips.
As you will see in this recording, the “Autumn” concerto was recorded in a more unusual setting. Because of the sharp rise of COVID-19 cases in our region during the scheduled recording dates, the recording session was moved to a larger location: EWU’s Reese Court. While the location created acoustical challenges for the orchestra members and recording engineer, it also created a unique and colorful backdrop for the videographers. As one onlooker commented, “Reese Court has never sounded so beautiful.”
This recording was truly a cross-campus collaboration, and could not have been accomplished without the expertise of Shawn Trail, PhD (audio engineer), Eric Galey and Chris Thompson (video production), and Keith Ross (recreation and athletics specialist).
John Marshall, PhD
Director of the EWU Orchestra
Professor of Cello
