Conductor and teacher Elmer Su shares his love of music
Conductor and teacher Elmer Su shares his love of music with the Peninsula and its youth
by Beth Paullin
Elmer Su is energetically conducting “Toreador Song” from Bizet’s “Carmen.” The kettle drum player doesn’t miss a beat and more than 40 violins along with every instrument found in a major symphony orchestra keep time as the bombastic score comes to a close.
There is no applause for the astonishing performance because this is a rehearsal, a routine rehearsal, one held each Friday evening. The other astonishing fact is that with a few exceptions, the performers are teen-agers or younger. The official age range is 8 to 85 for members of the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra, (PVRSO) sponsored by the Palos Verdes Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a community service.
Nationalities also have a wide range in this unusual musical group. A recent count found members from 15 countries including China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Israel, Canada and Italy.
Su, a resident of Rolling Hills Estates, has been conductor of the 10-year-old orchestra for two years. A skilled
musician, he is continuing his extensive training as a conductor and is a well-known violin teacher and performer who says “I love this service.” Having served as a concertmaster for several orchestras he feels he can say with assurance that “This orchestra (PVRSO) ranks with the best.”
Current rehearsing is for a Christmas program scheduled for Dec. 4 that will include traditional holiday music as well as a few popular classics. The orchestra has performed at Armstrong Theater in Torrance, the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, and Sunrider International in Torrance. They also had a memorable experience in 2008 performing at the Disney Concert Hall, home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Su appreciates the influence that music can have on the performers and listeners. “And besides,” he says, “look where all these teen-agers are on a Friday night. They give up their free time to rehearse with us.”
His own time is also freely given. In addition to the hours rehearsing and volunteer teaching, he spends time preparing music for performances of the orchestras. Where there is a need to simplify to fit the abilities of some of the symphony members, he patiently prepares music that matches their ability to perform. He is proud that the majority play “music as it is written, not simplified versions” as they perform concerts.
Besides the responsibilities he has as conductor of the orchestra, each Friday afternoon, prior to the rehearsal, Su teaches a group of beginning violin players. This is an even younger group than those in the symphony, some whose feet barely reach the floor as they play. They spend a half hour receiving instruction and then separate into smaller groups where “assistant teachers,” drawn from the ranks of more advanced violin players in the orchestra, help them to progress. There is no charge for instruction and for those unable to afford a violin, church funding provides a violin for each.
Born in Fu Jian Province in China, Su received his violin training at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He came to California for further violin studies and trained in San Diego and at the USC School of Music. He feels that the violin teacher who taught him the technique he prizes most is Igor Gruppman. “My technique and tone improved,” he said, “and my students benefit from my knowledge.”
He returned to China to marry Xiao Jun Wu, now an enthusiastic supporter of family musical activities. They have two daughters, Kristy 15, and Karen, 12, both born in the United States and both violinists. How early did they start their violin study? “They were each 3 years old when I started to teach them,” said Elmer.
Each has come a long way from that 3-year-old beginning. Karen dazzled listeners with a solo during the rehearsal mentioned and Kristy has earned honors in many contests, placing fourth in the Stradivarius International Competition in Salt Lake City last year and winning first place in the ASTA and VOCE competitions for young violinists in California.
There are other star players and award winners in the orchestra, but no special attention is given to any one player, according to their conductor. “No ego,” said Su in this regard. “Is that your motto?” he is asked. “No,” he said firmly, “That’s our rule.”
There are currently more than 100 participants in the PVRSO. Elmer is asked if that means that membership is now closed. “No,” he says, “Everyone is welcome.” He explains that any beginning violinist could be part of the teaching group that meets at 3:30 on Fridays at the church building on Crestridge Road. Others who play instruments may have an audition arranged by meeting with him before or after the Friday night rehearsals, 6:30 p.m. to about 9 p.m.
“We hope to have many members of the community come out to enjoy our music on December 4th,” he said. “It’s a special time of the year and our program is a gift to our neighbors on the Peninsula.”
The community is invited to attend the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas program at 5845 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes on Saturday evening, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.