On Saturday, April 25, at 8 pm, the Swarthmore Orchestra will present a vibrant program spanning multiple musical traditions and eras, featuring works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Leonard Bernstein, Jessie Montgomery, and He Zhanhao. The concert will feature concerto competition winner Elaina (Yining) Pan ’28, who will perform He’s The Eternal Sorrow of Lin’an on the guzheng, a traditional Chinese zither.

The orchestra, composed of 80 musicians, has been a “joy to work together to learn to play and communicate through this glorious music,” says conductor Andrew Huaze ‘04. “I’m so excited to share the rich sounds of our orchestra with the audience, and to let everyone hear the wide range of emotional expression that this wonderful group of students can achieve.”

Elaina Pan, a Swarthmore sophomore from Shanghai, China, first studied piano at age four, but later found a deeper connection with the guzheng, which she describes as both a musical and cultural home. For Pan, the instrument represents not only her artistic voice, but also a connection to her family, heritage, and childhood. 

Her featured work, The Eternal Sorrow of Lin’an, was composed by He Zhanhao, a composer, conductor, and professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. The Eternal Sorrow of Lin’an depicts the betrayal and murder of Yue Fei, a 12th century Song Dynasty military general and national hero mystified into Chinese history. According to Pan, the piece commemorates Yue Fei’s spirit and expresses powerful emotional contrasts, from strength and anger to grief and lament. She hopes the audience will follow those shifting emotions throughout the performance and reflect on the human cost of conflict and war.

Pan is the first concerto competition winner to perform on a non-Western instrument, and is dedicated to sharing her culture through musical experience. Her upcoming performance with the orchestra is an opportunity to connect her musical life at Swarthmore with the cultural traditions she grew up with in Shanghai. 

“It has been a delight to collaborate with Elaina and explore some different styles of music-making,” says Hauze. “Elaina plays with such expression and nuance, and I know our audience will be thrilled to hear the extraordinary sound of the guzheng in conversation with the instruments of our orchestra.” 

“Elaina is a fantastic musician, and I’m excited about getting to collaborate with her on the concerto. It is also a style of music that I am not very familiar with so it’s a great opportunity to learn new things,” said horn player Alice Ouellette ’29.

In addition to the opportunity to hear the guzheng concerto in a grand orchestral arrangement, the orchestra will perform three widely varying works for orchestra alone. Bernstein’s effervescent Candide Overture opens the concert with what Hauze described as “bubbly, delightful comedy,” full of wit, sparkle, and theatrical energy. Jessie Montgomery’s Hymn for Everyone will follow, portraying the “mountainous hike” trekked through hopes and sorrows during the COVID-19 pandemic. Released in 2021, the piece takes a simple melody on what Hauze described as “a very moving journey.” 

“I am very excited to play the Jessie Montgomery piece as she’s been a long time favorite composer of mine,” says cellist Hannah Rowland-Seymour ’27. 

Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy closes the program, bringing Shakespeare’s titular tragedy to life with sweeping lyricism and dramatic intensity. “[Romeo and Juliet is] one of my all-time favorite orchestral works,” says Hauze, “[the play has] extraordinary tragedy and depth.”

Together, these works make up a diverse and emotional program. From Tchaikovsky’s romantic drama to Montgomery’s contemplative modern voice; from Bernstein’s exuberance to Pan’s performance of He Zhanhao’s deeply expressive concerto, the concert promises an evening of music that crosses traditions while speaking to shared experience. 

Ouellette similarly pointed to the breadth of the program, noting that she is “most excited about the range of repertoire we get to play, from the Romantic era to a 20th century piece to a guzheng concerto.” She added that performing music beyond “traditional western styles” has been “a wonderful experience.” 

Percussionist Grace Chen ’28 also emphasized the program’s variety. “There’ll be something for everyone, hopefully!”

The performance is at 8pm on Saturday, April 25 in the Lang Concert Hall and is free to the public. All are encouraged to attend!