The New Philharmonia Ocrhestra is set to deliver a performance this weekend bringing two Newtonians’ talents together.
The concert, titled “Feelings and Expressions,” will be held at Grace Church in Newton Corner on May 4 and 5 and will feature new work by Bernhard Metzger, a Newton native and founding member of New Philharmonia who has worked as a computer programmer for more than 50 years.
Bernhard’s “Ramblings: A Frontotemporal Degeneration Journey” will be led by conductor Jorge Soto and will showcase young Newton cellist Hayden Ren as the soloist for Dvořák’s Cello Concerto/Allegro in B and feature the deeply expressive Brahms’ Symphony No. 3.
Metzger has played in community orchestras for nearly 50 years having picked up the the violin in 1971 and the viola in 1974, and he helped found the New Philharmonia Orchestra in 1995.
“Ramblings” is written in four movements expressing the emotions associated with the journey of emotions—anger, confusion, frustration and sadness—that come with frontotemporal dementia.
The piece came about after a harmonization exercise recorded and performed by Jonathan Bass, a piano professor at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, was used for a fundraiser for the Massachusetts General Hospital dementia research unit.
While Bernhard Metzger brings decades of musical experience, Hayden Ren brings a fresh talent.
But she’s not that new. The sophomore at Newton North High School has been playing music since she was 4 years old and started studying cello at age 8. She’s been a member of the Boston Youth Philharmonic Youth Orchestra since 2021.
Ren recently won first place at the 2024 New England Conservatory Preparatory School Concerto Competition. She took first place in the NEC Solo String Competition in 2021.
Ren has performed in Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall and Teatro degli Atti in Rimini, Italy, as well as venues in Greece.
“Feelings and Expressions” will be performed Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church 76 Eldredge St., Newton Corner.
Tickets are on sale now at newphil.org with tickets available for as little as $5 with pay-as-you-like pricing.