On Sunday, December 7th, the Swarthmore Orchestra directed by Andrew Hauze ‘04, presents a program that brings together musical imagination, student creativity, and one of the most beloved violin concertos in the repertoire. The evening features Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with guest soloist David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Gustav Holst’s piece The Planets, and Yixin Cui ’25’s newly composed work Impasse of the Weasels. The performance will take place in Lang Concert Hall at 7:30pm, and is free and open to the public.

As one of the most respected violinists in the country, David Kim’s visit marks a highlight of the orchestra’s season, offering student musicians the opportunity to collaborate with an artist whose career has shaped American orchestral playing over two decades. Mr. Kim has served as concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1999 and maintains a highly active career as a soloist, educator, and mentor. A graduate of the Juilliard School and a longtime advocate for young musicians, he is known for his approachable artistry and his influential book The Audition Method for Violin.

Mr. Kim gave a recital in Lang Concert Hall in September of 2012, where he performed Sarasate’s “Carmen Fantasy,” and joined the orchestra the following year for their fall concert. Director Hauze explained that “David has such a long and close relationship with Swarthmore, and every time he joins our orchestra, we are all exhilarated by his incredibly vibrant, in-the-moment music making.”  

Current Swarthmore students expressed excitement for their upcoming collaboration. “David Kim makes playing the violin look so easy. His passion and technical expertise in the concerto is truly astounding,” said violist Bijan Taheri ‘28. Mr. Kim seems to foster a comfortable environment for students to learn and grow whenever he visits campus. “He really becomes one with the instrument and plays with seemingly no effort,” said trumpet player Elan Nadelman ‘26. “He gave great advice during rehearsals and shared humorous musical stories. It's clear that he not only enjoys playing, but enjoys playing with us.” 

“He is not only a consummate professional and one of the greatest violinists and orchestra leaders in the country, but he is such a generous and positive collaborator, passionate about teaching and about making music at the highest level possible in a supportive community,” said Hauze.

In addition to the Bruch concerto, the program features the first four movements of Gustav Holst’s The Planets. One of the most iconic orchestral suites of the 20th century, The Planets is said to have influenced John William’s film score composition for the Star Wars series. Nadelman shared that “there are a few parts in The Planets that give me chills every time we play them; my favorite is probably the climax in 'Mercury.'”  

The orchestra will also perform movements “Mars” and “Venus,” before closing with the jubilant “Jupiter.” “I'm particularly excited to perform ‘Jupiter,'” said Taheri. “It's such a brilliant piece for which I'm excited to play my heart out at the end of the concert.”

The concert will include a new work by recent graduate Yixin Cui ’25, whose composition Impasse of the Weasels represents Swarthmore’s commitment to fostering student creativity alongside professional collaboration. This is the first time that Cui has written for an orchestra; “I wrote a very slow piece of music, and slow music is usually very difficult to put together. The subdivisions are longer and expose non-synchronicity, requiring musicians to be very cautious with their rhythms and counting,” Cui explained.

Though there were challenges, Cui said they learned a lot from Director Hauze and members of the orchestra throughout the process of rehearsing and revising the piece. Likewise, members of the orchestra said they were challenged by Cui and their new work. “Impasse of the Weasels is a really interesting piece that’s unlike anything I’ve played before, so it was a little difficult, but when everything came together it was super cool,” explained oboist Isabell Hu ‘28.

The Swarthmore College Orchestra, featuring David Kim, violin, performs Sunday, December 7th at 7:30pm in Lang Concert Hall. The concert is free and open to the public, no reservation required. Join Director Andrew Hauze ‘04 and the student musicians for a program that celebrates musical imagination and student achievement.