Making Music Magical

By Mary-Justine Lanyon, Editor
Mountain News, October 13, 2011

From the first downward beat of his baton, Maestro Carlo Ponti took the audience at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church on a magical music adventure.

As he prepared to conduct Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, Ponti closed his eyes and smiled. He guided the musicians of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra through the four movements, occasionally shaking his head softly, as if in admiration of what he was hearing.

Maestro Ponti pointed to each section of the orchestra as those instruments carried the theme. As the first movement approached its conclusion, the maestro had a look of exquisite pleasure on his face.

This is not only how music should be played; it is how it should be conducted. And that was just the first movement of the first piece.

The second movement opened with a deeper, slower sound. Maestro Ponti got an almost pained expression on his face as he held his hand to his mouth to soften the sound. One cello player's eyes were intent on him as the movement ended.

That same cellist-Circe Diaz Gamero-was animated as the third movement began. Her facial expressions mimicked those of Ponti as she smiled and raised her eyebrows. Ponti gave a little shrug of his shoulders at the end of the movement.

The fourth movement began dramatically and ended with Maestro Ponti nodding his head.

After a short intermission, the orchestra launched into the dark and mysterious first movement of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony. As Maestro Ponti conducted, he mouthed the tune and again ended the movement with a shake of his head.

During the flowing start of the second movement and the rousing beginning of the third, Maestro Ponti conducted with every cell of his body, feeling every note as he cued each section of the orchestra.

And at the end of the fourth movement, Ponti shrugged his shoulders and winked at the concertmaster.

At the concert's conclusion, Ken Camarella, who chairs the event with his wife, Nancy, recognized the Rim strings students in the audience. "You did your job," he said to the strings in the orchestra, "and inspired these young people."

Former Rim strings student Cassie Donahue, who is now a senior at the Orange County High School of the Arts, entertained guests as they arrived in the lobby.

As Rim cellists Drew Martin and Presley Schlarb played during the reception, principal cellist Ana Maria Maldonado listened intently, calling out "Bravo" as they finished playing one piece. Maestro Ponti also congratulated them after standing and listening to the two play.