The month of October 2006 was busy for Tucson Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Steven Moeckel.
In early October, he made his Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra debut, performing Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 — the first time Moeckel had ever played the piece in concert. He ended October fronting the Civic Orchestra of Tucson on Beethoven's Triple Concerto for piano, violin and cello with two TSO colleagues.
In between rehearsals for both concerts and his TSO obligations, Moeckel prepared for his debut in November 2006 as concertmaster with the Tucson Chamber Artists. They were performing Mozart's meaty Mass in C minor in concerts that became defining moments for the then-fledgling choral group.
With very few exceptions, most of them due to timing, Moeckel has performed with all of Tucson's community orchestras during his six-year tenure with the TSO. He resigned last week to become concertmaster with the Phoenix Symphony.
The TSO's loss is also the community's loss.
"We knew the day was coming, of course," bemoaned Eric Holtan, the Tucson Chamber Artists' conductor and music director. "He's not only obviously a very fine violinist, but the enormity of his talent as a leader cannot be overstated. He makes a huge impact across the entire ensemble. . . . His approach to the musical line, the artistic shape, is so infectious that all the sections pick up on it. That's, to me, the real gift he brings."
"The idea that he was a high-powered player and we're a volunteer orchestra didn't matter. He acted like he was in among friends and colleagues," added the Civic Orchestra's longtime conductor, Herschel Kreloff, who said Moeckel agreed to perform with his group before anyone mentioned payment; Moeckel was paid for his performance.
"Steven walks in the room and people want to play better," said former SASO conductor Adam Boyles. "He's not just a soloist; he plays with the orchestra."
With each guest appearance over his six years here, Moeckel endeared himself to his fellow musicians and the community.
"He's definitely helped raise the profile of the St. Andrew's Bach Society because he's such a popular musician in Tucson," said artistic director Lindabeth Binkley, who featured Moeckel in the group's series twice during her two-season tenure.
"People come from miles around and out of the woodwork to see him," added Holtan, who said concerts featuring Moeckel were sellouts. "The guy has this aura about him. He's a big man, a good-looking guy. He's got all this personality. People just love him."
Moeckel's concert with SASO attracted the biggest audience of Boyles' tenure, he said.
"I hope that I can work with him again very soon," said Boyles, who left Tucson last fall to teach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "I would love to bring him to Massachusetts. He's never done the Brahms Concerto so we keep talking."
appearances
Among Steven Moeckel's guest appearances over his six TSO seasons:
•Tucson Chamber Orchestra (aka Catalina Chamber Orchestra): April 2006, Mozart's Sinfonia Concertate for Violin and Viola.
• Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra: October 2006, Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor.
• Civic Orchestra of Tucson: October 2006, Beethoven's Triple Concerto for piano, violin and cello.
• Tucson Chamber Artists: November 2006, concertmaster for Mozart's C-minor Mass. October 2007, concertmaster for Bach's "Magnificat" and Vivaldi's "Gloria." February 2008, concertmaster for Mozart's "Requiem."
• St. Philip's Friends of Music: March 2007, Bach's partita for solo violin.
• St. Andrew's Bach Society: July 2007, pair of concerts with his sister, German violist Laura Moeckel. June 2008, Bach's B-minor Mass.
• Solo concerts: Numerous engagements over the years with pianist Paula Fan. September 2006, joined his Tucson music colleagues in a concert honoring the late cellist Gordon Epperson.
Shining moments with the TSO:
• November 2002: Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major.
• March 2003: Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Violins with assistant concertmaster Carla Ecker.
• February 2004: Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, part of MasterWorks Series in Oro Valley.
• September 2004: Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade."
• December 2004: Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto.
• February 2006: Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 1.
• May 2007: Elgar's Violin Concerto in B minor.
• February 2008: Alban Berg's Violin Concerto.
