Review: Orchestra Iowa Chamber musicians sparkle

The final Orchestra Iowa Chamber concert of the season Saturday evening at Westminster Presbyterian Church was a fitting end to this year's series.

The concert opened with Joseph Turrin's “Fandango for Trumpet, Trombone and Piano,” performed by Aren Van Houzen on trumpet, Matthew Cameron on trombone and principal pianist Miko Kominami. The composition has a lively opening movement that captures the mood of a Spanish fandango, a dance performed in triple time by two dancers.

The musical interplay between Cameron, Kominami and Van Houzen was very enjoyable. The trio also demonstrated the ability to switch tempos and perform the stately second movement with the same passion that drove the lively first and third movements.

Percussionist Alan Lawrence and violist Lisa Ponton changed the pace with their performance of “Variations for Four Drums and Viola” by Michael Colgrass. The drums are “roto-toms,” small shallow drums that are turned to encompass all the chromatics between middle C and the E-flat below.

Lawrence, principal timpanist for Orchestra Iowa, performed with the exacting skill required for the tricky rhythmic patterns employed throughout the composition. Ponton was every bit his equal on the viola, exploiting the different colors and timbers of her instrument.

The second half of the concert featured Robert Schumann's “Piano Quintet in E-flat Major,” a selection that is one of the most beloved of all chamber works.

With Kominami as the dominant force at the piano, the ensemble of violinists Takuya Horiuchi and Miera Kim, cellist Carey Bostian and violist Lisa Ponton delivered a sparkling performance. As always, Kominami made the difficult appear effortless and Bostian, Horiuchi, Kim and Ponton were a study in musical intensity.

The audience responded to their bravura performance with a well-deserved standing ovation. It marked the end of another enjoyable chamber series that annually showcases Orchestra Iowa's top principal musicians.