Sweet idea for Columbia moms Sunday: Concertos & Cupcakes

The Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra is finishing its season with Concertos & Cupcakes, a Mother’s Day treat filled with ingredients that bring us together: exceptional free music and free cupcakes.

Kim Masters, chairman of the young artist competition and treasurer and violinist with the orchestra, explains that since its inception four years ago, the concert was designed to give students an opportunity to play with an orchestral accompaniment.

“It’s to show what talent we have in our area,” said Masters. “These young people don’t have the opportunity to play with an orchestra otherwise.”

This year’s first-place winner, Simeon Radev, will perform Dmitry Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto in C major. Second-place winner Sunjay Jayaram will perform Giovanni Battista Viotti’s Violin Concerto No. 22 in A minor.

“Watching them rehearse with us, they’re just so relaxed,” said Masters. “They’ve both worked very hard. You just can’t pick up an instrument and play as well (as they both do). They obviously spent long hours practicing, but they don’t seem the least bit stressed. I’m amazed by that. If they are nervous, they don’t have any outward signs of it.”

In addition to the two pieces performed by Radev and Jayaram, concertgoers will be serenaded with the sounds of three pieces new to the orchestra’s repertoire: Gioachino Rossini’s L’italiano in Algeri Overture, George Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 and Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” Fantasy Overture.

“Our concerts have gotten so popular, we may not be able to keep playing at Harbison Theatre,” joked Masters. Last year’s concert only had 25 seats empty. “A lot of people can’t afford to pay for tickets to go see the Phil , so our purpose is to be able to make music available to everybody regardless of their income or ability to pay. That’s why most of our concerts are free.”

And to sweeten the deal, orchestra members put down their instruments long enough to pick up kitchen utensils and bake free cupcakes as a confectionery bribe. Last year, more than 600 cupcakes were made for the event, and lemonade was on hand as well.

If you haven’t finalized your Mother’s Day plans just yet, this might just be the (free) ticket you were waiting on.

“Bring mom to the concert, have a cupcake, and don’t worry about cooking dinner,” said Masters. “I’d like to see 400 people show up this year. I would love to see a full audience so these young people know it was worthwhile. All the work they put into performing with us.

“And it’s Mother’s Day, and we’re playing Tchaikovsky’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Fantasy Overture. You have to come for that,” said Masters.

Sounds like the cherry on top of a sweet idea.

This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 12:01 AM.