I love making musical discoveries, and that’s exactly what happened June 1 at Old Mission United Methodist Church. Violinist Destiny Mermagen and the Prairie Classical String Orchestra performed Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, a work that uses Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as the basis for a Latin American joyride.

I was familiar with many of Piazzolla’s shorter works, like his tangos, but I had never heard his take on Vivaldi’s big hit. I am smitten. The work could not have had better advocates than Mermagen and her ensemble. Their charm, cheeky vivaciousness and infectious enthusiasm brought the music to life in a way that would have made Piazzolla proud.

Actually, this Four Seasons was not entirely the work of Piazzolla. It was arranged and featured sly touches by the Russian composer Leonid Desyatnikov. He added his own quirkiness with sound effects and direct quotes from Vivaldi.

Wearing a dramatic pink dress, Mermagen oozed charisma and personality, as she led the ensemble while navigating Piazzolla’s challenging score. She exuded pure joy throughout the performance, as well as pride in her extremely gifted and disciplined students. In between movements she added witty commentary and shared insights into the music. It’s not surprising she’s a popular Kansas Public Radio classical host.

The first movement, Spring, began softly, with the strings making a sound like wood being sawed. I’m almost positive that was a Desyatnikov touch. It didn’t take long, however, before the piece kicked into high gear and Mermagen and company let loose. In the midst of the Latin American energy, Vivaldi was already starting to sneak in. But you soon realized this was going to be a Four Seasons like you’ve never heard before.

The order of the seasons did not follow those of the Northern Hemisphere. The second movement, for example, was Autumn. It featured a lovely cello solo by Michael Mermagen. This particular season was full of warmth and the golden glow of an autumnal sun. The string playing was rich, lush and romantic before it once again started to swing. The movement ended with some wild playing from Destiny along with some shrieks from the other strings.

Winter starts with a luscious theme before taking an exciting turn. Again, a familiar quote from Vivaldi makes an appearance. The plucking, pizzicato strings evocative of raindrops was a delight. There was a kerfuffle with Mermagen’s score, but, being a consummate showwoman, she quickly recovered and turned it into a funny bit, which almost seemed planned.

The work concluded with summer, which featured some brilliant, virtuosic fiddling from Mermagen.

The work received a well-deserved standing ovation from the full house. But that wasn’t all, everyone was treated to an encore, Piazzolla’s biggest hit, Libertango.

This fun and exciting concert was a delightful way to welcome June and the beginning of summer. One would never have guessed that the orchestra was made up of several students. The playing was just astounding. Several of the professionals are members of the Kansas City Symphony, who had just come from performing Mahler’s Third Symphony. I attended the Friday performance and thought it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever heard by the Kansas City Symphony. But that’s another story.

Piazzolla’s Four Seasons marked the end of Prairie Classical’s second season. This superb organization is already playing an important role in Kansas City’s cultural life, allowing gifted young musicians the chance to perform alongside professionals. Mermagen and her organization deserve the support of anyone who cares about the future of classical music. Here’s to a third season and many more beyond.