Mozart Society Turns 10

The Harvard Mozart Society will celebrate its tenth anniversary tonight with a concert at Sanders Theater, marking a decade of dramatic change.

The 8 p.m. concert will be the first of the year for the society, which was founded in 1983 by a group of first-years.

According to society President Eric K. Fung '95, much has changed since the early years of the Mozart Society.

The orchestra was originally open only to first-year students and required no auditions, giving it a relatively non-competitive atmosphere.

Now, with approximately 50 members, it "has developed into a more competitive and yet still relaxed orchestra," Fung said.

Fung also said that there has been a marked improvement in the quality of the performances of the orchestra.

He attributes the improvement to conductor David R. Commanday '76, who has been with the Mozart Society for three years.

According to Fung, Commanday has helped create a more intense and productive atmosphere.

The concert will feature three pieces: Dvorak's Eighth Symphony, Beethoven's Coriolan Overture and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23.

Fung said the pieces were chosen because they are "deceptively difficult and intense," and somewhat characterize the present state of the orchestra.

Jonathan L. Yates '97, winner of the "freshman concerto competition," will join the orchestra for the Mozart concerto. Yates said he was nervous about his Harvard piano debut, but said he has enjoyed working with the Society.