For Lawrence University sophomore violinist Ben Frueh, contemporary classical music isn’t just a niche, secondary interest—it’s a vital channel for his personal expression.
Frueh will bring that passion to the stage on March 14, performing as a soloist with the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in Béla Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2, a cornerstone of 20th-century repertoire.
Frueh, seeking a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance, is co-winner of Lawrence’s annual LSO Concerto Competition, alongside junior pianist William Surtees. This was Frueh's first attempt at the competition, making his win an unexpected but thrilling achievement.
“I was actually tutoring at the time when I found out,” Frueh recalled, describing the surreal moment when his fellow musicians congratulated him on his victory. “It didn’t fully click at first that they were congratulating me on winning the competition.”
While Frueh’s experience with concerto performances dates back to childhood, this marks his first post-pandemic appearance.
His early repertoire was steeped in tradition. Even later works he performed, such as those by Barber and Kabalevsky, leaned more toward common-practice tonality than the contemporary aesthetic he now embraces.
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At Lawrence’s Conservatory of Music, Frueh found the perfect balance—continuing his study of traditional repertoire while delving deeper into new music. His professor, Samantha George, associate professor of music and teacher of violin, has been seminal in fostering this dual focus.
Under George’s guidance, Frueh developed a newfound appreciation for practice. Though he had always loved playing the violin, he previously found the long hours in the practice room tedious. Now, with an increased focus on new music, he approaches it with renewed enthusiasm.
When he entered the Conservatory, he expanded on his love of new music by forming chamber ensembles to tackle fiendishly difficult contemporary works, such as excerpts from both Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time.
“My current interest is primarily in 20th and 21st century classical music,” Frueh explained. “That was one of the main driving forces for choosing Bartók. My professor had a few other suggestions, like the Korngold, Glazunov, or Tchaikovsky concertos—but the Bartók intrigued me the most”.
For Frueh, the most exhilarating moments in the Bartók concerto come when the violin and orchestra surge together, creating a powerful, almost transcendent soaring sound.
He explained: “I don't know what the right word to describe [these moments] would be—it's loud, it's big, and it feels like filling a really wonderful space.”
The movement is not without its difficulties, as such glorious passages are countered by immensely difficult technical moments. For Frueh, two factors made them reachable: the idiomaticity of the violin part, and the seasoned insights of his professor.
“There are definitely a lot of fast technical moments that scared me, especially when I first looked at the music,” recalled Frueh. “But since Bartók worked closely with the violinist Zoltán Székely, it's oddly extremely violinistic.”
He added: “There are bits that initially look horribly difficult to play, but once you're given the best fingerings—thank goodness for Professor George—it's remarkably comfortable and satisfying.”
Frueh plans to galvanize his contemporary repertoire further, looking forward to tackling a second Bartók piece next term, the composer’s 1938 Contrasts for violin, clarinet, and piano. Other pieces on his wish list include works by living composers such as Jeffrey Mumford, Jesse Montgomery, Shulamit Ran, and Augusta Read Thomas—many hopefully to be featured in his junior recital next year.
“There are so many incredible musicians performing Brahms and Sibelius,” Frueh said, “but I’m really drawn to works that haven’t been played as often.”
