The Southeastern Chamber Orchestra welcomed internationally recognized violinist Eugene Drucker during its Spring Concert on March 11 at Pottle Music Auditorium.
The performance, presented by the Department of Music and Performing Arts at Southeastern Louisiana University, featured Drucker as the orchestra’s guest soloist, conducted by Victor Correa-Cruz. The concert was part of the university’s 2025-26 music season and was open to the public.
Drucker is widely known as a founding member of the Emerson String Quartet, which has earned multiple Grammy Awards for its recordings and performances. In addition to his chamber music career, he regularly appears as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and internationally.
Now that the Emerson String Quartet has concluded its career, Drucker said he has been exploring a wider range of professional opportunities.
“I enjoy having a mixture of activities now, some solo opportunities with orchestras, chamber music with other groups and teaching,” Drucker said.
During his visit to Southeastern, Drucker spent three days rehearsing with the orchestra and working with students. In addition to preparing the concert program, he led both a master class in chamber music and a violin master class.
Correa-Cruz said bringing guest artists to campus is an important part of the music department’s educational experience.
“Students have their regular classes and lessons, but sometimes routine can make them lose a little motivation. When you bring someone new with different ideas, it’s very refreshing to them,” Correa-Cruz said.
The concert program highlighted works from major composers of the Baroque and Classical periods. The evening opened with “Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 1” by Arcangelo Corelli. Drucker then performed Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041.”
Following the Bach concerto, the orchestra performed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Divertimento in F major, K. 138.” Drucker returned to the stage for Joseph Haydn’s “Violin in C Major, Hob. VIIa:1.”
The program concluded with Edvard Grieg’s “Holberg Suite,” a five-movement work inspired by Baroque dance forms.
Near the end of the performance, a power outage affected the university’s main campus, causing the auditorium lights to shut off. Despite the interruption, the orchestra continued playing and completed the program without stage lighting.
Drucker said he was pleased with the performance and encouraged all the students involved in it and the master classes.
“I’m pretty satisfied with how the concert went and I wish all the students good luck and continued fulfillment from what they’re doing,” Drucker said.
