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While most Oregonians were slipping in the new year snow and ice, Western Baptist Professor Matt Strauser, and his wife, Naomi, were in Bulgaria, Jan. 1-15. Matt's doctoral degree program requires that he attend two major conducting workshops. As one of two college conductors chosen to be part of the Orchestral Workshop in the in the historic city of Varna, WB's director of choral activities conducted a 13-piece Bulgarian string chamber orchestra in a small church. Matt's internationally recognized Bulgarian maestro was Professor Milko Kolarov. During five intense days of practice, instruction and late-night practices, using an MP3 player, Kolarov led him through the conducting intricacies of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. "The days were long and consuming. I didn't sleep much," Matt said, "but it was thrilling. Like any other art form, understanding it takes time which gave me an extreme sense of appreciation for this music. The professor encouraged me to conduct from my heart." Matt also spent extra time with the entire Bulgarian group and once treated them all to espresso and pastries. "It's pretty inexpensive there, so later we all enjoyed a very leisurely dinner together as well. The orchestra members were most enthusiastic about what we were doing." Matt had been preparing to conduct one of three works, including two written by Bach and Mozart. Maestro Kolarov selected the Tchaikovsky classic for Matt to learn. Historically speaking it was also an appropriate choice for his audience. "The Russians liberated Bulgaria from Turkish rule in the late 1800's, and being a Russian, Tchaikovsky is important to Bulgarians culturally," Matt said. "Conducting his music is significant to them. It's also a beautiful work." Bulgaria is primarily an atheistic nation, yet Matt reports he spoke with several Christians there. Following the workshop, the Strausers toured the beautiful countryside by train for several days with stops in Plovdiv and the capital, Sophia. "It was a thrill for us," he said. "Traveling together and studying overseas is very compelling." In addition to his responsibilities at WB, three days per week Strauser is pursuing a doctorate degree (DMA) in Choral Music Education at the University of Oregon. |
