BUTLER TWP — Celebrations of youth and spring were evident at the final concert of the season for the Butler County Symphony orchestra Saturday evening.

Conductor Michael Kraemer and the orchestra recognized young area musicians, featured their young artist competition winner, and performed the wildly-popular, wildest of choral works with a university chorus to a packed house at Butler Intermediate High School.

The concert opened with Mozart’s Overture to The Magic Flute. The orchestra performed beautifully to combine the heavy, serious opening against the light, playful themes of this comic opera.

Young artist competition winner Enoch Hsiao dazzled the audience with his performance of the powerful “Allegro Scherzando” from Sergei Rachmaninoff”s Piano Concerto No. 2.

Hsiao, a North Allegheny High School junior, showed his confidence with both the fiery passages as well as the lyrical themes, especially the one adapted as “Full Moon and Empty Arms.” The audience’s immediate ovation at the conclusion was well-deserved.

At intermission the symphony board recognized nearly 100 students from 13 schools, who were selected as the 2018 Butler County Young Musicians of Note for their dedication to music study and performance.

Carmina Burana filled the second half.

Written by Carl Orff in 1936, Carmina sets 25 medieval poems, or songs of Bavaria, to a mixture of musical styles. Multipart choral, solo, plainchant, and a cappella are blended in six sections of the work.

The 12th Century lyrics, written mostly in Latin and early German, tell of life seeking love in the spring, or drinking in the tavern for the lack of it.

The program provided text and translation, which probably made for some surprising reading if any audience members were unfamiliar with the work.

A powerful chord initiates “O Fortuna,” lamenting the fickleness of the goddess Fortune. Always pictured with her wheel in medieval manuscripts, she is capricious in deciding whether one’s life is hopeful or despairing. This instantly recognizable piece has been used in many films and television commercials.

The Slippery Rock University Concert Choir, under the direction of Stephen Barr, launched into the piece with notable articulation.

The style changed immediately from gloom to hope for “Spring” and its delights — as anyone in Western Pennsylvania would know when a spring day finally arrives.

The chorus begins quietly to sing of fragrant flowers and chirping birds.

This section introduced the baritone soloist, James Bobick, asserting that April has reminded him of his faithful love. Bobick’s career includes dozens of operatic roles with many opera companies throughout the United States, and several performances of Carmina.

Later, in the “Tavern” section, Bobick’s powerful voice and flair for the dramatic was evident.

In “Dance” from “On the Green,” the orchestra maneuvered through a very rhythmic section. Throughout Carmina, the orchestra was excellent: solid and robust with two pianos and seven percussionists, yet light and lyrical in the love declarations. Kraemer and the musicians were spot on.

The women’s voices sang of their plans to attract the men in the Germanic lyrics of “The Green.” The full chorus brought more passion to the work.

“In the Tavern” features only male voices. Following a baritone solo, tenor George Milosh portrayed the doomed swan in dramatic fashion, entering from the steps off stage left, head hanging in dejection. In falsetto, Milosh, an Aliquippa native, sings the lament of the once-beautiful swan, now to be served for dinner. The verses of his tale were interspersed with the men of chorus and discordant percussion echoing his misery.

“The Court of Love” selections introduced the soprano soloist Meghan Dewald, currently living in Pittsburgh. Dewald, whose repertoire includes both traditional and new music roles, brought her clear voice to the love songs, especially with “In the Balance.”

The Shenango Area Youth Chorus, under the direction of Julie Freeman Kerr, was featured this section, but sometimes difficult to hear.

Carmina comes to its emotional height in “This is the Joyful Time,” with baritone soloist, full chorus, and children’s chorus, followed by the soprano soloist’s declaration of love.

The work concludes as it begins, with “O Fortuna,” and facing Fortune’s whims once more.

An appreciative audience was on its feet once more as a wonderful concert and a wonderful season came to an end.