Four Itchy Feet

November 1, 2025. Ashburn, Virginia.

Listening to a symphony perform live is like getting a vaccination from world noise. We got a much-needed booster shot today! The Loudoun Symphony Orchestra (LSO) was performing at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Ashburn, Virginia, and we decided to go.

St. David’s Episcopal Church is a relatively modern and intimate space that offers a unique setting for classical music. The church is small, so try to imagine a space where the audience-to-musician ratio is close to two to one. What you get is a room where every cubic inch is filled with perfectly harmonious sound, creating a wonderfully immersive experience. This kind of intimacy is key to what makes live classical music so moving. Unlike a large concert hall, a smaller venue allows the music to wash over you directly, letting you feel the physical resonance of the sound—the vibration of the bassoons, the sharp attack of the timpani, and the collective breath of the strings—in a way that even the best speakers cannot replicate.

The program was carefully curated to stir our emotions. It was called, “Motives that Move You.” The conductor, Hayden Denesha, offered a short lecture of musical knowledge before each piece that helped us appreciate the nuances of each work and what the composer intended. It was all about the power of music to inspire and stir deep feelings and emotions.

The choice of music provided a build-up of emotion, starting with:

1. Gioachino Rossini’s Overture to Il signor Bruschino: This is a sparkling and witty piece, famous for its energetic drive and the amusing effect of the string players being instructed to tap their bows on their music stands (a brilliant early example of musical humor!). It served as a bright, engaging curtain-raiser.
2. Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun): A lush, shimmering masterpiece that is considered a landmark of musical Impressionism. The famous opening flute melody evokes a hazy, dreamlike sensuality, transporting the listener immediately to a mythical, sun-dappled landscape.
3. Quinn Mason’s Petite Symphonie de Chambre Contemporaine: The inclusion of a work by a contemporary American composer like Quinn Mason is a testament to the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra’s commitment to performing new and diverse works. The LSO, as a community-based orchestra, serves a vital role in bringing both foundational repertoire and exciting new voices to Northern Virginia audiences. This piece, a “little contemporary chamber symphony,” likely offered intriguing new harmonies and rhythms to prepare us for the grand finale.

Denesha saved the very best for the end: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60. All four movements had us bobbing our heads, tapping our feet, and filled with cheerful joy. As a work often described as sunny, exuberant, and full of grace, it was the perfect vehicle for a truly uplifting finale. Hearing its explosive energy and infectious optimism performed live is the ultimate “booster shot,” a pure, unfiltered moment of musical bliss that lifts the spirit and washes away stress.

With all our travel, it has been a while since we slowed down for the performing arts, but that is all about to change as we settle in for a while and take care of medical issues before our next overseas adventure. What a wonderful way to begin this time of rest and recovery!