Northwest Sinfonietta ‘Sky and Sea’ features Viet Cuong ‘Re(new)al’ percussion quartet, Debussy’s 'La Mer' January 20 and 21.

December 15, 2023

Northwest Sinfonietta ‘Sky and Sea’ features Viet Cuong ‘Re(new)al’ percussion quartet, Debussy’s 'La Mer' January 20 and 21.

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta under the direction of artistic partner Mei-Ann Chen presents “Sky and Sea” on Saturday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m. (Schneebeck Hall, 1567-1625 N. Union Ave., Tacoma) and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 21 (Pioneer Park Pavilion, 330 S. Meridian).

“Sea and Sky” is a homage to caring for the health of the Earth and the greater Puget Sound region and features three works thematically linked by their exploration and inspiration of ecosystems and environments. Canadian composer Marjan Mozetich’s “Postcards from the Sky” opens the program. Over three short movements (“Unfolding Sky,” “Weeping Clouds,” and “A Messenger”) Mozetich paints vivid sound images of sunlight bursting through clouds, ethereal falling rain and reflection on a world beyond our worldly concern.

Viet Cuong’s “Re(new)al” percussion quartet concerto follows, featuring percussionists Matt Drumm, Jeffery Lund, Mark Goodenberger and Bonnie Whiting. “Re(new)al” is devoted to “breathing new life into traditional ideas” and explores hydro, wind and solar energy sources in three continuous movements. The composer gives a musical nod to efficiently using resources throughout the concerto, utilizing “found” instruments including cans of compressed air and ordinary drinking glasses, and sharing a single snare drum amongst all four soloists.

Dutch composer Marlijn Helder’s chamber orchestra adaptation of Claude Debussy’s impressionist masterpiece “La Mer” closes the program. “La Mer” premiered in 1905 and, despite a chilly initial reception, has become a mainstay of the concert stage. It’s thrilling and evocative imagery of the sea focuses the listener on the essential musical elements in Helder’s adaptation of the work, eschewing the massive instrumental forces of Debussy’s original score for those of a sleek chamber orchestra, allowing a new, almost neoclassical peek into Debussy’s rich musical symbolism and impressionism.

Northwest Sinfonietta artistic partner Mei-Ann Chen enjoys a wide-reaching international career. She has conducted over 120 orchestras across the globe to date, including the symphonies of Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, the Taiwan Philharmonic, and orchestras across Europe including London’s BBC Symphony, the Helsinki Philharmonic in Finland, and Austria’s Tonkünstler Orchestra.

In addition to her role at the Northwest Sinfonietta, serves as music director at the acclaimed Chicago Sinfonietta, the first-ever artistic partner with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Texas, and chief conductor of the Recreation-Grosses Orchester Graz at Styriarte in Austria.

Collaborating partners Tacoma Tree Foundation, Communities for a Healthy Bay and the University of Puget Sound environmental studies program join the Northwest Sinfonietta for environmentally focused activities and information on taking care of the Puget Sound region.

The Tacoma Tree Foundation presents “Where Forest and Sea Meet,” a tree walk at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 20 beginning in the lobby at Schneebeck Hall at the University of Puget Sound. Free and open to all.

Communities for a Healthy Bay, Tacoma Free Foundation, the University of Puget Sound environmental studies program and the Northwest Sinfonietta present a pre-concert panel on Saturday, January 20 at 6:15 p.m. at Schneebeck Hall. Free with concert ticket.

Baby trees for planting will be available to take home from both performances.

Tickets starting at $25. Student, military and group discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: nwsinfonietta.org

The Northwest Sinfonietta 2023-2024 continues March 2 and 3 with “Pictures at an Exhibition” featuring virtuoso bandoneonist Hector Del Curto performing Piazzolla, and Mussorgsky’s timeless “Pictures at an Exhibition.”

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About the Northwest Sinfonietta: The Northwest Sinfonietta was founded in 1991 by harpsichordist Kathryn Habedank and conductor Christophe Chagnard. The 35-member ensemble is the premiere chamber orchestra in the Puget Sound region and blends the intimacy of chamber music with the power of a full orchestra. In 2015, the Northwest Sinfonietta became one of the few orchestras in the world to move to an Artistic Partner model of operations, giving the musicians of the ensemble a larger role in the programming and vision for the ensemble. Learn more about the orchestra at: nwsinfonietta.org.

Northwest Sinfonietta 2023-2024 season ‘A Few of Our Favorite Things’ opens Oct. 7 & 8 with world premiere of wine-inspired Oboe concerto

September 15, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northwest Sinfonietta 2023-2024 season ‘A Few of Our Favorite Things’ opens Oct. 7 & 8 with world premiere of wine-inspired Oboe concerto

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta opens its 2023-2024 season “A Few of Our Favorite Things” with “Wine and Dine” October 7 at 7:30 p.m. (Foss Waterway Seaport Museum, 705 Dock St., Tacoma ) and October 8 at 2:00 p.m. (Pioneer Park Pavilion, 330 S. Meridian, Puyallup). Jeffery Meyer, one of the three artistic partners of the sinfonietta, conducts.

“Mariachitlán” (“Mariachiland”), an orchestral homage to contemporary composer Juan Pablo Contreras’s birthplace in the Mexican state of Jalisco, opens the program. Throughout its 10 thrilling minutes, Contreras paints a vivid sonic picture of a visit to the iconic Plaza de los Mariachis in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, with swirling Mariachi rhythms, evocative melodies reminiscing about the landscapes of Jalisco and even a policeman’s whistle trying to break up the wild party.

The world premiere of Roupen Shakarian’s Oboe Concerto featuring soloist Dan Williams follows. Each of the concerto’s three movements is inspired by a specific varietal of wine; patrons 21+ can enjoy a curated wine flight during the performance. Shakarian is a composer-conductor who has served as music director of the Skagit Symphony and Philharmonia Northwest. Guest conducting appearances have included the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet and many others.

Soprano Jennifer Krikawa, soprano Ivy Zhou and tenor Andrew Etherington are joined by the PLU Opera Chorus in selections from Johann Strauss II’s lighthearted operetta “Die Fledermaus” (“The Bat”) to close the program. “Die Fledermaus” has been a staple of the stage since its premiere in 1874 and tells a classic ‘revenge tale’ about a practical joke repaid years later, a decadent Viennese ball and exuberant operatic moments from the unlikeliest of locations: the local jail.

Jennifer Krikawa, who is also artistic director of Vashon Opera, has appeared with New York City Opera, Connecticut Opera and Virginia Opera. Ivy Zhou is a Seattle-based lyric coloratura soprano who has appeared with Nashville Opera, Seattle Opera and many others in concert and recital. Andrew Etherington has appeared most recently in the acclaimed “The Tacoma Method” at the Tacoma Opera, and in performances with Skagit Opera and Kitsap Opera.

Tickets starting at $25. Student, military and group discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: nwsinfonietta.org

The Northwest Sinfonietta 2023-2024 continues on December 16 and 17 with “The Four Seasons” featuring works by J.S. Bach, Kian Ravaei and Antonio Vivaldi.

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‘Nisqually Typologies’ photography book documents one year of environmental change at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

February 23, 2023 in Books

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘Nisqually Typologies’ photography book documents one year of environmental change at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Media contact: press@zacharycperson.com

PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON – Documentary photographer Zachary C. Person announces the release of “Nisqually Typologies: One Year at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge” for pre-orders beginning immediately and running through May 15, 2023. Shipment will commence on approximately June 1, 2023.

Pre-orders will receive a $10 discount off the regular price, and during the pre-order period discounted copies are also available for purchase as a donation to a conservation or cultural organization of your choice.

All 108 images from the book are immediately available as open edition 12x18” borderless prints on Fuji Crystal matte paper.

Learn more about the book and prints at: zacharycperson.com/nisqually-typologies.

“Nisqually Typologies” takes a new approach to documenting a well-known and highly visited wildlife conservation area, focusing exclusively on environmental and ecological features of the refuge and their changes throughout the year. The book features 108 full color photographs of nine different typologies from the refuge: Saltwater, Fresh Water, Sloughs, River, Canopy, Paths, Twin Barns, Field, and Riparian Forest.

Each of the nine typologies includes 12 images, one from each month of 2022, examining the environmental change as the seasons progress.

The images represent the natural environment exactly as found with no additional commentary added, giving the viewer the opportunity to interpret the book and its content in accordance with their own experiences and values. None of the images have been digitally altered to add or remove objects.

While there exist many complex issues, both current and historical, regarding the usage of the lands that now comprise Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, this book does not attempt to address those important issues and focuses solely on the intriguing nature of the present-day environment as a photographic subject worthy of close examination as a singular entity.

Schedule permitting, Zachary is available for artist talks (online and in-person) with no speaking fee for conservation, cultural or educational organizations. Email press@zacharycperson.com for more information.

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About the photographer: Zachary C. Person is a photographer based in Puyallup, Washington. After nearly two decades of living and working in Oregon, he returned home to Western Washington where he now focuses on documenting complex subject matters in creative, accessible and informative ways. Learn more about his work at: zacharycperson.com.

Violin virtuoso Melissa White performs Florence Price concerto March 4-5

February 02, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Violin virtuoso Melissa White performs Florence Price concerto March 4-5

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta under the direction of artistic partner Yaniv Attar presents “Fate Now Conquers” on March 4 at 7:30 p.m. (Rialto Theatre, 310 S. 9th St., Tacoma) and March 5 at 2:00 p.m. (Pioneer Park Pavilion, 330 S. Meridian, Puyallup).

Carlos Simon’s Beethoven-inspired “Fate Now Conquers” opens the program. Simon drew on Beethoven’s journal reference to the famous quote from Homer’s “Iliad” - “But Fate now conquers; I am hers; and yet not she shall share In my renown; that life is left to every noble spirit And that some great deed shall beget that all lives shall inherit.” – and the fluid harmonic structure from Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, to create a five-minute ode to the uncertainties and mysteries of life.

Virtuoso American violinist Melissa White joins the orchestra to perform Florence Price’s First Violin Concerto in D Major. White was a founding member of New York’s Harlem Quartet (2006) and since has embarked on a varied solo and orchestra career that has seen her perform with the National Philharmonic, Chicago Sinfonietta, the symphonies of Richmond and Cincinnati, the Juilliard Orchestra and many others. In 2022, White made history as the concertmaster of the Recollective Orchestra, the first all-Black orchestra to perform at the Hollywood Bowl. She currently serves on the faculty at New York University and the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York and has been in residence with the Harlem Quartet at the Royal College of Music in London since 2016 and Montclair State University in New Jersey since 2021.

Florence Price (1887-1953) was a prolific American classical composer active during the early and middle twentieth century, with an extensive catalog of over 300 works including four numbered symphonies and four concertos. She was the first African American woman to receive national recognition as a symphonic composer and the first to have a work performed by a major symphony orchestra. The first violin concerto unperformed during the composer’s lifetime and was ‘rediscovered’ amongst Price’s papers in 2009 by violinist and academic Er-Gene Kahng and has gained momentum as a mainstay of the concerto repertoire since.

Youth concerto competition winner, violinist Seohyun Hwang, performs the first movement of W.A. Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4, K. 218 in D Major to open the second half. Hwang is a student at Skyline High School in Issaquah, Wash., is an acclaimed, expressive and mature young musician. Solo highlights have included performances with the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, a fellowship with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. and others.

Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 by Ludwig v. Beethoven closes the program. The Haydenesque four-movement symphony received its premiere in Vienna, Austria in 1800. The thrillingly ambiguous opening chord, which does not establish the symphony’s key, marked a heroic opening salvo for the Beethoven-the-symphonist, and immediately established him as a true genius of the form.

Tickets $22-50. Student, military and group discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.nwsinfonietta.org

The Northwest Sinfnietta 2022-2023 season concludes May 20-21 with “This Land” featuring works by W.A. Mozart, Aaron Copland, Jessie Montgomery and Alberto Ginastera.

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Northwest Sinfonietta bridges the old and new world with ‘Land(Wind)Fall’ Jan. 28-29

December 07, 2022

Northwest Sinfonietta bridges the old and new world with ‘Land(Wind)Fall’ Jan. 28-29

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta under the baton of newly appointed artistic partner Mei-Ann Chen bridges the old and new world with “Land(Wind)Fall” on January 28 at 7:30 p.m. (Rialto Theatre, 310 S. 9th St., Tacoma) and January 29 at 2:00 p.m. (Pioneer Park Pavilion, 330 S. Meridian, Puyallup).

Mei-Ann Chen, who joined the sinfonietta as an artistic partner at the beginning of the 2022-2023 season, is known for her passionate and dynamic conducting style, and is a compelling communicator and innovative leader on and off the podium. Chen is a sought-after conductor who continues to expand her relationships with orchestras worldwide and has conducted over 110 orchestras to date. She has served as music director of the MacArthur Award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta since 2011 and began her tenure as chief conductor of Austria’s Grosses Orchester Graz in fall 2021. Other recent posts include Sweden’s Gävle and Helsingborg Symphonies and the first-ever artistic partner of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Houston, Texas.

Felix Mendelssohn’s String Sinfonia No. 11 in F Major/minor opens the program. From ages 12-14, Mendelssohn wrote 13 numbered symphonies for strings paying homage to W.A. Mozart, Joseph Haydn and other well-known classical symphonists of the day. Over five movements, the sinfonia shows a scale and inventiveness belying the young age at which it was composed.

“Bishop’s Processional” for violin and string orchestra by Nokuthula Ngwenyama follows. Ngwenyama is an American composer and violist of Zimbabwean-Japanese heritage born in Los Angeles. Her works have been performed by the Detroit Symphony, London Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Phoenix Symphony and many others. “Bishop’s Processional” was commissioned by the largest Black church in Phoenix, to commemorate their bishop’s 35th year with the congregation.

Northwest Sinfonietta oboists Shannon Spicciati and Noelle Burns are featured as soloists in “Extra(ordinarily) Fancy” by American composer Viet Cuong. The concerto for two oboes and chamber orchestra plays homage to the baroque era double oboe concertos by Marcello, Vivaldi and Albinoni in the singular composer’s wildly inventive and whimsical style.

The program closes with Austrian-American composer Erich Korngold’s “Much Ado About Nothing” Op. 11, a suite of incidental music written for Shakespeare’s play of the same name. Korngold was a compositional prodigy as a youth who was frequently compared to Mendelssohn. Following his move to Hollywood in the 1930’s due to the rise of the Nazi regime, Korngold became known for his breathtaking cinematic scores which have cemented his legacy as one of the most influential composers in Hollywood history.

Tickets $22-50. Student, military and group discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.nwsinfonietta.org.

The Northwest Sinfonietta 2022-2023 season continues March 4 and 5 with “Fate Now Conquers” featuring works by Florence Price, Carlos Simon, Ludwig v. Beethoven and more.

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About the Northwest Sinfonietta: The Northwest Sinfonietta was founded in 1991 by harpsichordist Kathryn Habedank and conductor Christophe Chagnard. The 35-member ensemble is the premiere chamber orchestra in the Puget Sound region and blends the intimacy of chamber music with the power of a full orchestra. In 2015, the Northwest Sinfonietta became one of the few orchestras in the world to move to an Artistic Partner model of operations, giving the musicians of the ensemble a larger role in the programming and vision for the ensemble. Learn more about the orchestra at: www.nwsinfonietta.org.

Northwest Sinfonietta’s ‘Baroque to Blue Ridge’ traces the fiddle across Atlantic, into the heart of Appalachia

November 18, 2022 in Orchestra

Northwest Sinfonietta’s ‘Baroque to Blue Ridge’ traces the fiddle across Atlantic, into the heart of Appalachia

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta traces the fiddle and violin from Scandinavia to the British Isles, across the Atlantic and into the heart of Appalachia in “Baroque to Blue Ridge” on December 17 at 7:30 p.m. (Courthouse Square Ballroom, 1102 A St Suite 202-G, Tacoma, WA 98402) and December 18 at 2:00 p.m. (Pioneer Park Pavilion, 330 S. Meridian, Puyallup).

The family-friendly program lead by concertmaster Denise Dillenbeck and internationally acclaimed Scottish fiddler Brandon Vance opens with the popular “Holberg Suite” by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. The five-movement suite is based on 18thcentury dance forms was originally composed for piano in 1884 and adapted by the composer shortly after into the string orchestra version performed by the sinfonietta.

Selections from English baroque-era composer Henry Purcell’s “The Fairy-Queen” follow. The so-called “semi-opera” by Purcell is an adaptation of the story from William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” first performed in 1692, only a few years before the composer’s death in 1695.

Two rousing works follow: Jennifer Sacher Wiley’s “Hanukkah Medley” and Brandon Vance’s “Gael Storm Set” for solo violin and string orchestra. Wiley’s medley utilizes unique string techniques to creatively present several traditional Hanukkah-themed melodies including “Who Can Retell,” “Sivivon Sov Sov Sov,” “Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah” and the timeless Peter, Paul and Mary favorite “Light One Candle.”

Brandon Vance, who also performs as soloist “Gael Storm Set” is the youngest winner of the United States National Open Scottish Fiddling Championship winner (1999, 2001) and recipient of the 2017 Royal National Mòd “Sutherland Cup” in Scotland. He has performed and taught throughout the world, including as a guest lecturer at the University of Limerick’s Irish World Academy, as a guest artist at the William Kennedy Piping Festival and others. Vance is a founding member of the Celtic Ensemble Dreos and the World Music Ensemble Alchymeia.

Mark O’Connor’s “Appalachia Waltz” brings the program to a close, in an arrangement by the composer for string orchestra. The crowd-pleasing favorite which was originally composed for fiddle, cello and double bass trio, melds together traditional Appalachian and Scandinavian folk fiddling in a classical setting.

Tickets $22-50. Student, military and group discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.nwsinfonietta.org.

The Northwest Sinfonietta 2022-2023 continues on January 28 and 29, 2023 with “Land(Wind)Fall” featuring works by Felix Mendelssohn, Nokuthula Ngwenyama, Viet Cuong and Erich Korngold.

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Northwest Sinfonietta appoints world-renowned conductors Mei-Ann Chen, Jeffery Meyer as new artistic partners

June 30, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northwest Sinfonietta appoints world-renowned conductors Mei-Ann Chen, Jeffery Meyer as new artistic partners

By Zachary C. Person
Media contact: Karin Choo

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta announces the appointment of conductors Mei-Ann Chen and Jeffery Meyer as the two newest artistic partners of the orchestra starting this fall with the 2022-2023 season. The duo joins award-winning Israeli conductor Yaniv Attar who has been an artistic partner with the ensemble since 2018.

“I’m very excited about our artistic partnerships with Mei-Ann, Jeff and Yaniv” says Northwest Sinfonietta board president Natalie Mayer. “I can’t wait to see what these diverse conductors bring to our organization and audiences. Join us for a season of magical music with these three conductors—all are welcome and celebrated here!

Mei-Ann Chen has been praised for her passionate and dynamic conducting style. She is highly regarded as a compelling communicator and innovative leader on and off the podium and is a sought-after conductor nationally and abroad who continues to expand her relationships with orchestras worldwide (over 110 orchestras to date). She has served as music director of the MacArthur Award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta since 2011 and began her tenure as chief conductor of Austria’s Grosses Orchester Graz in fall 2021, following two seasons as the orchestra’s first-ever principal guest conductor. Other recent posts include serving Sweden’s Gävle and Helsingborg Symphonies, as artistic director and conductor for the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra Summer Festival and as the first-ever artistic partner of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Houston, Texas.

Notable conducting engagements have included the San Francisco Symphony, London’s BBC Symphony Orchestra, Norway’s Oslo Philharmonic, Sweden’s Gävle and Helsingborg Symphonies, the Het Residentie Orkest in The Hague, Netherlands, the Helsinki Philharmonic in Finland, Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra and the symphonies of Atlanta, Seattle, Baltimore, Houston and Toronto.

Accolades include being named one of the top 30 influencers by Musical America in 2015, the 2012 winner of the Helen M. Thompson Award from the League of American Orchestras, a recipient of the 2007 Taki Concordia Fellowship, first prize winner in the 2005 Malko Competition and ASCAP awards for innovative orchestral programming. Chen, who is Taiwanese American, was born in Taiwan and moved to America in 1989 to pursue studies in violin and conducting. She was simultaneously awarded master’s degrees in violin and conducting from the New England Conservatory in Boston, followed by a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Jeffery Meyer is a sought-after conductor, pianist and educator who has worked extensively throughout Europe, Asia and North America. He was appointed artistic director of the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2002 and is currently director of orchestras at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. As a conductor and piano soloist, Meyer has appeared with orchestras worldwide including the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, the Philippine Philharmonic and Thai Philharmonic, China’s Sichuan Symphony and many others.

"I am thrilled to begin a new relationship with the Northwest Sinfonietta this fall as an artistic partner,” says Meyer. “It is an honor to collaborate with artistic partners Mei-Ann Chen and Yaniv Attar, whose creativity and vibrant musicianship are sure to inspire an exciting era for the organization. Throughout my experiences with the Northwest Sinfonietta I have been consistently impressed with the engaged leadership, creative programming, and musical voices that they bring to the cultural scene. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my vision and experience to this extraordinary organization.”

Prior to joining the faculty at Arizona State University, Meyer was director of orchestras for over a decade at Ithaca College in New York. He is a sought-after educator who has presented conducting masterclasses at renowned music schools worldwide, including the Jacobs School at Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana), the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia, China’s Central Conservatory in Beijing and others.

As a pianist, Meyer has been in residence at the Banff Center for the Arts in Canada and at the prestigious Aspen Festival in Colorado. Frequently seen leading orchestras from the keyboard, he holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in Stony Brook, New York.

Plaudits include winning the 2013 American Prize in Conducting, a prizewinner at the 2008 X. International Conducting Competition and distinguished entries in the Cadaqués Conducting Competition, the Beethoven Sonata International Piano Competition and the Vakhtang Jordania International Conducting competition.

In 2015 the Northwest Sinfonietta became one of only a few orchestras in the word to adopt an artistic partner model, allowing the musicians of the orchestra to take a larger role in the programming and vision for the ensemble. Each season, the orchestra collaborates with its artistic partners to present culturally relevant and informed programming showcasing myriad talents of both the members of the ensemble and invited guest soloists.

“We are thrilled to be working with three spectacular artistic partners this season!” says concertmaster Denise Dillenbeck. “Mei-Ann Chen’s work with us in the spring highlighted her incredible leadership, collaborative and exciting style, and skill with all kinds of music, from Mozart to modern day. Jeffery Meyer showed us his fire and passion in one of the most engaging and impactful programs we’ve played. And Yaniv Attar’s inspiring programming and musical presence continue to ground us and broaden our horizons.”

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Nightjar returns with Kodály, Schumann and ‘Voodoo Dolls’ May 23

April 29, 2022 in Chamber Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nightjar returns with Kodály, Schumann and ‘Voodoo Dolls’ May 23

By Zachary C. Person

Media contact: hello@nightjar.com

SEATTLE, Wash. – Nightjar, Seattle’s newest chamber music society, in collaboration with 10 Degrees Arts + Events presents an evening of playful and triumphant chamber music at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 23 at 10 Degrees (6009 12th Ave. S.) in the heart of Seattle’s historic Georgetown neighborhood.

Jessie Montgomery’s “Voodoo Dolls” for string quartet opens the program. The energetic five-minute work is inspired by West African drumming patterns, lyrical chant motives and free improvisation. Montgomery, whose work has been described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” by the Washington Post, is a New York-based composer and violinist who’s music weaves together traditional classical music with elements of improvisation, vernacular music, language and social justice.

Gioachino Rossini’s Duetto in D Major for cello and bass follows. While Rossini wrote a number of playful oddities late in his career, this 14-minute, three-movement jaunt was penned in 1824 during the heart of the young Rossini’s stunning early-career operatic period. A touching middle andante movement is framed by two lighthearted allegro numbers, showcasing virtuoso writing and inventive accompaniment, making the Duetto a substantial piece of 18th century chamber music despite the diminutive ensemble size.

The program continues with the Serenade, Op. 12 for string trio by Zoltán Kodály. Kodály, who spent decades collecting folk music from throughout his native Hungary, masterfully combined late-Romantic sensibilities with the traditional musical material he collected to form his singular compositional voice. While the Serenade Op. 12 is somewhat unusually written for just three string instruments in lieu of the expected quartet, Kodály delivers a substantial nearly 20 minutes in length filled with swarthy Romanticism, Hungarian-inflected ‘parlando’ sequences and joy-filled folk tunes.

The program concludes with Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44. Composed in 1842 during Schumann’s oft-called “year of chamber music,” the Op. 44 quintet for string quartet and piano is widely considered one of the finest examples of Romantic-era chamber music. The quintet is cyclic in nature, with the bold theme that opens the first movement making a dramatic return in the finale, combining with the latter movement’s own theme in a powerfully triumphant fugue to close the four-movement, 30-minute masterpiece.

Performers for the evening include: Michael Lim (violin); Dawn Posey (violin); Blayne Barnes (violin); Daniel Stone (viola); Camille Ripple (viola); Emily Hu (cello); Joseph Kaufman (double bass); and Thomas Lee (piano).

Audience members are welcome to arrive early at 6:00 p.m. for a pre-concert cocktail hour featuring locally made Oola Distillery spirits and stay late for a post-concert after-party with the artists.

Tickets $30. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit: nightjarseattle.org.

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Northwest Sinfonietta closes season with Mozart’s triumphant ‘Prague’ symphony

April 25, 2022 in Orchestra, Chamber Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northwest Sinfonietta closes season with Mozart’s triumphant ‘Prague’ symphony

By Zachary C. Person

Media contact: Karin Choo

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta under the direction of guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen closes the 2021-2022 season with “In Place and Time” May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Rialto Theater in Tacoma (310 S. 9th St.) and on May 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Pioneer Park Pavilion in Puyallup (330 S. Meridian).

Guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen, making her Northwest Sinfonietta debut, has been lauded as a compelling communicator on and off the podium, and to date has worked with over 110 orchestras worldwide. Chen currently serves as music director of the MacArthur Award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta and Austria’s Recreation Grosses Orchester Graz at Styriarte, artistic partner of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Houston, Texas, and artistic director and conductor of the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra summer festival. Notable conducting engagements have included the symphonies of Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Indianapolis, Chicago, San Francisco and Houston, the BBC Scottish Symphony, Danish National Orchestra, Sweden’s Gothenburg and many others.

Reena Esmail’s “Teen Murti” for string orchestra opens the program. Named after New Delhi’s Teen Murti, the former residence of the first prime minister of India (which itself is named after the three sculptures standing in front of the building), the work draws on Hindustani musical traditions intertwined with western compositional techniques. Esmail is an Indian-American composer based in Los Angeles who works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music. She has been commissioned by the Kronos Quartet, Imani Winds, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Chicago Sinfonietta and many others.

Demarre McGill, principal flute of the Seattle Symphony, is featured in the “Concierto Pastoral” by Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo. Written in 1978 for internationally acclaimed flute soloist James Galway, “Concierto Pastoral” exudes joyful freedom throughout. McGill is an internationally acclaimed soloist, recitalist and orchestral musician. Prior to joining the Seattle Symphony, he served as principal flute of the Dallas Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Florida Orchestra and Santa Fe Opera, and has also performed as acting principal flute of New York’s Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Accolades include an Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, and solo appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the symphonies of Chicago, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Baltimore and Dallas.

W.A. Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504 “Prague” closes both the program and the season for the Northwest Sinfonietta. Already raving over his music, audiences in Prague were buzzing over rumors of an appearance by Mozart to conduct his hit opera “The Marriage of Figaro” in January, 1787. Upon arrival from Vienna, Mozart also brought with him the manuscript for a symphony completed only a few weeks prior in December, 1786. Despite not having composed a symphony for three years, No. 38 was an unequivocal triumph. Its musical heft, refined sophistication and mastery of the form made it an immediate sensation, and the “Prague” symphony has since earned its place as one of the finest symphonies in the western canon.

Tickets $22-50. Student, military and group discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.nwsinfonietta.org

The Northwest Sinfonietta 2022-2023 season opens October 9 and 10 with works by Aaron Copland, Carlos Simon and Maurice Ravel. Season tickets available now; single tickets on sale September 1, 2022.

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Dazzling Cuban pianist Aldo López-Gavilán, Northwest Sinfonietta present ‘Archipelago’ Apr. 29, May 1

March 31, 2022 in Orchestra, Piano

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dazzling Cuban pianist Aldo López-Gavilán, Northwest Sinfonietta present ‘Archipelago’ Apr. 29, May 1

By Zachary C. Person

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta presents “Archipelago” featuring acclaimed Cuban crossover pianist and composer Aldo López-Gavilán and a string quartet from the sinfonietta in a program of classical, Latin and jazz music.

The first performance, presented in collaboration with the University of Puget Sound School of Music and including students from the university orchestra, takes place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 29 at Schneebeck Concert Hall in Tacoma (1567-1625 N. Union Ave.). The second performance is at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 1 at Pioneer Park Pavilion in Puyallup (330 S. Meridian).

Both concerts include works from López-Gavilán’s “Talking to the Universe,” “Ciernes de Ciudad,” “Pan con Timba,” “Aegean” and more.

Tickets $30. Student, military and group discounts available. Tickets may be purchased at: ups.universitytickets.com (April 29) and at www.nwsinfonietta.org (May 1)

Aldo López-Gavilán was born in Cuba to a family of internationally acclaimed musicians. By the age of five, he had written his first musical composition and by age seven had begun formal piano studies. He has been called “a formidable virtuoso” by the London Times and praised for his “dazzling technique and rhythmic fire” by the Seattle Times. He has been a Northwest Sinfonietta audience favorite for many years and has previously performed with the orchestra in 2015 and 2017.

Since winning the Danny Kaye International Children’s Award at age 11, López-Gavilán has embarked on a wide-ranging international performance career including concerts with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Cuba, Venezuela’s acclaimed Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, the Harlem String Quartet, with legendary jazz musician Chucho Valdés at the Havana Jazz Festival and many others.

López-Gavilán’s extensive discography includes 10 albums of original compositions and major classical works. Highlights as a composer include music for the award-winning documentary “The Poet of Havana,” a trumpet concerto premiered by Cuban virtuoso Arturo Sandoval and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and his own dazzling concerto for piano and orchestra.

Other local events surrounding the “Archipelago” performances include two screenings of “Los Hermanos,” a film about Aldo and his brother Ilmar, at Tacoma’s The Grand Cinema (more information at: www.grandcinema.com) at 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 19 and López-Gavilán performing his own piano concerto with the University of Puget Sound symphony orchestra on Saturday, April 30 (more information at www.pugetsound.edu).

The Northwest Sinfonietta 2021-2022 season concludes May 21-22 with “In Place and Time” featuring flute soloist Demarre McGill and conductor Mei-Ann Chen in a program of works by Esmail, Rodrigo and Mozart.

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Seattle’s newest chamber music society ‘Nightjar’ launches Mar. 28

March 14, 2022 in Chamber Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seattle’s newest chamber music society ‘Nightjar’ launches Mar. 28

By Zachary C. Person

SEATTLE, Wash. – Nightjar, the newest chamber music society in Seattle, in collaboration with 10 Degrees Arts + Events presents an intimate evening of evoking dreams, prayers and mystery at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 28 at 10 Degrees (6009 12th Ave. S.) in the heart of the historic Georgetown neighborhood.

Caroline Shaw’s “Entr’acte” for string quartet opens the program. Penned in 2011 and later adapted for string orchestra, the quartet was inspired by Josef Haydn’s Op. 77, No. 2. Shaw’s work plays off her inspiration from what she called the “spare and soulful shift” to D-flat major in the trio of the Haydn quartet and is structured like a minuet and trio which the composer playfully describes as “riffing on that classical form and taking it a bit further.”

Violinist Elizabeth Phelps continues with the Passacaglia for Solo Violin by Heinrich Biber, one of the earliest known pieces for solo violin. Biber’s passacaglia (a typically serious musical form written in a triple-meter) is the final section of his “Rosary Sonatas” (a.k.a. “Mystery Sonatas”), a collection of 15 solo works each titled after a Christian rosary practice. The virtuosic works were largely forgotten after their composition in 1676, but after being ‘rediscovered’ in the early 20th century, have become a cornerstone of the solo violin repertoire.

“The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind is a kind of epic, a history of Judaism,” says Golijov. “It has Abraham, exile, and redemption. The movements sound like they are in three of the languages spoken in almost 6,000 years of Jewish history: the first in Aramaic; the second in Yiddish; and the third in Hebrew. I never wrote it with this idea in mind, and only understood it when the work was finished.”

Performers for the evening include: Elizabeth Phelps (solo violin); Caitlyn Kelley (violin); Blayne Barnes (violin); Kayleigh Miller (viola); Emily Hu (cello); and Angelique Poteat (clarinet).

Audience members are welcome to arrive early at 6:00 p.m. for a pre-concert cocktail hour featuring locally made Oola Distillery spirits and stay late for a post-concert after-party with the artists.

Tickets $30. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit: nightjarseattle.org.

The Nightjar season continues May 23 at 7:00 p.m. at 10 Degrees Arts + Events with a program featuring works by Jesse Montgomery, Gioachino Rossini, Zoltán Kodály and Robert Schumann.

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Northwest Sinfonietta presents free ‘Close-Up’ neighborhood concerts Mar. 31, Apr. 14

March 08, 2022 in Orchestra

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northwest Sinfonietta presents free ‘Close-Up’ neighborhood concerts Mar. 31, Apr. 14

By Zachary C. Person
Media contact: Karin Choo, Northwest Sinfonietta

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta presents two “Close-Up Concerts” this spring in collaboration with community arts partners. The free hour-long “neighborhood performances” will be held on Thursday, March 31 at the Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center (T.U.P.A.C.) (1105 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma) and on Thursday, April 14 at Mt. Tahoma High School (4634 S. 74th St., Tacoma).

Both concerts begin at 6:00 p.m. and are free and open to all. Advance registration is requested but not required. To learn more or register in advance, visit: www.nwsinfonietta.org.

“Song & Dance” on March 31 features a chamber ensemble from the Northwest Sinfonietta, and dancers from T.U.P.A.C. and Tacoma’s Sabor Flamenco. The program includes variations on “Black Noir Black” and juxtaposes works by prominent Black composers William Grant Still (“Lyric Quartet”), Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint-Georges (a movement from his second symphony), Jessie Montgomery’s “Strum” and a looping cello work by Gretchen Yanover with the well-known “La Musica della Strade di Madrid” by Italian classical-era composer Luigi Boccherini and Aaron Copland’s “At the River” from his second set of American songs.

“Pictures in Song” on April 14 features soloist Denise Dillenbeck, concertmaster of the Northwest Sinfonietta, a chamber ensemble of musicians from the sinfonietta, and the Mt. Tahoma High School orchestra directed by Emily Golan. The Mt. Tahoma High School orchestra will perform two works side-by-side with members of the Northwest Sinfonietta.

“It has been such a great experience having Northwest Sinfonietta musicians work with my students,” says Golan, “and we are all excited about the upcoming concert. It will definitely be something they never forget!”

The spring-themed program includes “Flowering Jasmine” by Latvian composer Georgs Pelēcis; the popular “Spring” from Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”; and two works by Astor Piazzolla: “Primavera Porteña” from the “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” and an arrangement “Oblivion” for string orchestra.

Concertmaster and violin soloist Denise Dillenbeck also serves as concertmaster of the Yakima Symphony Orchestra (Yakima, Washington), the Lake Chelan Bach Festival (Chelan, Wash.) and the York Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania. Dillenbeck has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Oregon Symphony and Baltimore Symphony, and has served as concertmaster for orchestras in Germany and England.

The Northwest Sinfonietta 2021-2022 season continues April 29 and May 1 with “Archipelago” featuring Cuban cross-over pianist Aldo López-Gavilán and concludes on May 21-22 with “In Place and Time” featuring flute soloist Demarre McGill and conductor Mei-Ann Chen in a program of works by Esmail, Rodrigo and Mozart

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Northwest Sinfonietta presents “Violet Sunrise,” Lockington’s final performances March 5-6

February 15, 2022 in Orchestra

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northwest Sinfonietta presents “Violet Sunrise,” Lockington’s final performances March 5-6

By Zachary C. Person

TACOMA, Wash. – The Northwest Sinfonietta under the direction of artistic partner David Lockington presents “Violet Sunrise” March 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Rialto Theater in Tacoma (310 S. 9th St.) and on March 6 at 2:00 p.m. at the Pioneer Park Pavilion in Puyallup (330 S. Meridian).

Tickets $22-50. Student, military and group discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.northwestsinfonietta.org.

These performances mark the last of Lockington’s tenure with the Northwest Sinfonietta. In 2015, the Northwest Sinfonietta became one of the few orchestras in the world to move to an “artistic partner” model of operations, allowing the musicians of the ensemble to take a larger role in the artistic decisions and vision for the orchestra. Lockington was one of three inaugural artistic partners that season and in 2018 was named principal artistic partner.

“Violet Sunrise” features three brilliant works for small orchestra. Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 6 in D Major “Le Matin” opens the program. Composed in 1761 by a youthful Haydn who had just joined the Esterházy court, “Le Matin” (“Morning”) was not written as an explicitly programmatic work, though the opening adagio introduction clearly depicting a sunrise has inspired many others to refer to the remaining movements as “noon” and “evening.”

Two movements from W.A. Mozart’s Oboe Concerto in C Major, K. 314 follow, featuring Northwest Sinfonietta Youth Concerto Competition winner Sebastian Kelzenberg. Now considered a popular and successful concerto for oboe, somehow K.314 was lost during Mozart’s lifetime and was “rediscovered” in the 1920’s in Salzburg, Austria by Mozart scholar Alfred Einstein. The second movement, in typical Mozartian fashion, is expressive and operatic in nature with delicately balanced phrases; the playful third movement features a theme later reused by Mozart in his opera “Abduction from the Seraglio.”

Kelzenberg is an award-winning young oboist from Washington state. He was winner of the Music Teachers National Association woodwind competition in 2019, a Merit Award recipient from the YoungArts Foundation, and was grand prize winner of the 2020 King FM/Seattle Chamber Music Society Young Artist Awards.

David Lockington’s “Violet Viola Concerto” featuring soloist Libor Ondras closes the program. The concerto is named after Lockington’s first granddaughter, Violet, who was born while he was composing the piece. Two days after her birth, a lullaby appeared to Lockington, which he wrote down and took to Ondras to play; that lullaby became the focus of the concerto’s second movement. The first movement, an “appassionata,” evokes a feeling the composer associated with Eastern European expression. The third and final movement, which Lockington describes as a “stomping type of dance” evokes a sense of travel. The concerto was premiered in 2019 by the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (Grand Rapids, Michigan) and composed for soloist Libor Ondras.

Soloist Libor Ondras is a viola recitalist, conductor and educator. He began his studies with the famed violist Yuri Bashmet at the Moscow Conservatory as a recipient of a Slovak Ministry of Culture fellowship. Ondras continued his studies at the Academy of Music Arts in Prague and holds a doctorate from the University of Houston (Texas). He is currently associate professor, string specialist and director of orchestras at Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

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Corvallis-OSU Symphony livestream set for May 25

May 04, 2021

For Immediate Release

Corvallis-OSU Symphony livestream set for May 25

By Zachary C. Person

Source: Marlan Carlson

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs its 2020-2021 season finale on Tuesday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. The performance features a livestreamed performance by the string section of the orchestra from the Austin Auditorium in The LaSells Stewart Center and prerecorded performances from the brass and woodwind sections which were recorded outdoors due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The program opens with J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048, conducted by current OSU music student Elliana Phillips. Scored in an unusual fashion for nine solo strings (three each of violin, viola and cello) plus basso continuo, the brief ten minute work in three movements is one of six concertos Bach dedicated to Christian Ludwig, a military commander in Brandenburg, in 1721.

Two masterworks from the Romantic era follow: the string sextet from Richard Strauss’s final opera “Capriccio” Op. 85 (an “opera about an opera”) and three movements from Pytor Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48, a Mozart-inspired audience favorite penned in 1880.

Larry Johnson, OSU instructor of horn, leads a prerecorded segment featuring three operatically-derived works for symphonic brass ensemble: Henri Tomasi’s “Fanfares Liturgiques,” a modernist composition derived from his little known mid-century opera “Don Juan de Mañara”; excerpts from Richard Wagner’s landmark operatic cycle “Der Ring des Nibelungen” (The Ring Cycle) and the rousing “Hungarian March” from Hector Berlioz’s opera “The Damnation of Faust.”

The symphony woodwind ensemble conducted by Marlan Carlson closes the program in a prerecorded segment with excerpts from three popular classical and romantic works: W.A. Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni”; Krommer’s Partitia-Octet, and the Serenade for Winds, Op. 44 by Antonin Dvorak, followed by the lighthearted “Boogie” for woodwind octet by Peter Lawrance.

The webcast is free and open to all; no tickets are required. To view the performance visit cosusymphony.org.

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About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts includes the fine and performing arts, humanities and social sciences, making it one of the largest and most diverse colleges at OSU. The college’s research and instructional faculty members contribute to the education of all university students and provide national and international leadership, creativity and scholarship in their academic disciplines.

Corvallis-OSU Symphony livestream set for Nov. 22

November 09, 2020 in Orchestra

For Immediate Release: November 9, 2020

Corvallis-OSU Symphony livestream set for Nov. 22

By Zachary C. Person

Source: Marlan Carlson

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony string ensemble under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs a concert livestreamed from The LaSells Stewart Center at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 22.

The performance is free and open to the public and can be viewed online at: mu.oregonstate.edu/live.

Selected movements from Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 open the program. Written in 1875 in only two weeks-time, the five-movement string serenade was composed on a smaller scale than Dvořák’s weightier and well known symphonies and remains one of his most popular works.

The program continues with excerpts from Edvard Grieg’s “Holberg Suite, Op, 40,” a work originally written for piano in 1884 and later adapted by the composer for string orchestra. The five movement work, written in the style of a Baroque-era dance suite, was composed on the occasion of the 200th birthday of the distinguished Norwegian writer Ludvig Holberg. Grieg originally penned the work for solo piano, adapting it a year later into the string orchestra version that the Corvallis-OSU Symphony string ensemble performs.

W.A. Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in c minor, KV. 546 and the opening movement of the Serenade for Strings Op. 13, KV. 525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” close the program. Long one of Mozart’s popular compositions, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” is a lighthearted little “bon-bon” of a work, charming audiences and performers alike since its premiere in 1787.

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Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs all-Rachmaninoff program Feb. 25

February 03, 2020 in Orchestra

For Immediate Release

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs all-Rachmaninoff program Feb. 25

By Zachary C. Person
Source: Marlan Carlson

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs an all-Rachmaninoff program at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

The concert features two works by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff: “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” Op. 43 for piano and orchestra featuring student soloist Christopher Yoon, and the Symphony No. 1 in D-minor, Op. 13.

The “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” Op. 43, composed in the summer of 1934, is one of only six works Rachmaninoff composed after fleeing Russia in 1917 as a result of the revolution in February of that year. At the time of its composition, Rachmaninoff had largely abandoned writing music in order to pursue his career as a virtuoso piano soloist in order to provide support and stability to his family after losing nearly everything as a result of their self-imposed exile from Russia.

His Op. 43 derives its main theme from the 24th and final caprice for solo violin by Niccolo Paganini. Over a span of 24 minutes, Rachmaninoff spins Paganini’s famous theme through 24 increasingly virtuosic variations in a variety of keys and tempi.

Rachmaninoff wrote his first symphony in 1895 at the youthful age of 22, a few short years after graduating from the Moscow Conservatory of Music. Despite his youth, Rachmaninoff was already one of the most respected musicians in Russia; his first piano concerto had already received its premiere while he was still a student, and Rachmaninoff had received a prestigious gold medal in composition upon graduation from the conservatory. The premiere of the symphony in 1897 was an unmitigated disaster; when Rachmaninoff later fled to the west, he left the score for his first symphony behind, and only acknowledge its existence by naming his next symphony as his second. Op. 43 remained unperformed and almost entirely unknown for decades, though following its American premiere in 1948 by the Philadelphia Orchestra it has since established itself as a work of importance worthy of inclusion in the standard symphonic repertory.

Tickets are $22 to $32 in advance or $25 to $35 at the door. Tickets are available online at www.cosusymphony.org. Up to three K-8 students accompanied by a ticketed adult, and all high school and college students with ID, may be given free general admission tickets at the door starting one hour prior to the concert, subject to availability.

Corvallis Arts for All discounts apply with a valid SNAP card and are available one hour prior to performance. For accommodations relating to a disability please call 541-286-5580, preferably one week in advance.

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On-campus TV and radio studios: Oregon State University is equipped with on-campus television and radio studios that can be used by journalists. Live or live-to-tape broadcast television studio interviews can be conducted using Vyvx. Oregon State staff can also gather b-roll and coordinate live-to-tape interviews on locations throughout campus. For radio, Oregon State’s ISDN phone line provides a broadcast-quality audio feed.

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Shostakovich’s tenth symphony Nov. 24

November 05, 2019 in Orchestra

For Immediate Release: November 5, 2019

Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Shostakovich’s tenth symphony Nov. 24

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Symphony under the direction of Maestro Marlan Carlson performs works by Antonín Dvořák, Zoltán Kodály and Dmitri Shostakovich at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 24 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

Antonín Dvořák’s “Carnival Overture” Op. 92 opens the program. The rousing nine-minute work from 1891 forms the second in Dvořák’s trilogy of concert overtures inspired by the composer’s impressions of life, love and nature which embody the human experience.

Zoltán Kodály’s "Dance of Galanta," a four-part whirlwind of folk melodies and gypsy tunes, follows. Like his contemporary Béla Bartók, Kodály spent his lifetime collecting folk music melodies in the remote areas of Hungary, Transylvania and other areas of Eastern Europe. "This passion for the unblemished and authentic musical expressions of mostly illiterate people with no formal musical education eventually manifested itself in many of their compositions," says Maestro Carlson. "And like the food of this area, the music of these composers is both exhilarating and sensorially intoxicating."

The Tenth Symphony in E minor, Op. 93 by Dmitri Shostakovich closes the program. Shostakovich began composing the four-movement symphony shortly after the death of Josef Stalin in 1953, and the symphony forms a musical portrait of both Stalin as a person and Shostakovich’s experience of living under the Stalinist regime.

The symphony was premiered in 1953 by the Leningrad Philharmonic under the direction of Yevgeny Mravinsky to huge success, though the overall pessimistic tone of the work quickly attracted public scrutiny from the Soviet Composer’s Union as being an "optimistic tragedy” and “non-realistic.” Despite the criticism, Shostakovich, who was well accustomed to politically motivated ridicule of his works - and very adept at publicly apologizing for their content - did not offer to rewrite the symphony. His Op. 93 stands today as a mid-century masterwork and an astute if somewhat less than overt political statement summing up in a mere 53 minutes Shostakovich’s experiences during decades of Stalinism.

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Conrad Tao opens Corvallis-OSU Piano International Steinway Piano Series Nov. 3

October 10, 2019 in Chamber Music, Piano

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 10, 2019

Conrad Tao opens Corvallis-OSU Piano International Steinway Piano Series Nov. 3

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Corvallis-OSU Piano International 2019-2020 Steinway Piano Series opens with American pianist Conrad Tao at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 3 at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

The 25-year-old Tao has garnered significant critical praise and accolades throughout his already lengthy performing career including being awarded a prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2011, and being named a both a Gilmore Young Artist and a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

He has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. During the 2019-20 season, Tao will perform as soloist with the symphonies of Seattle, Baltimore, Charlotte, Phoenix and others.

Tao’s eclectic Corvallis program juxtaposes three well-known staples of the piano repertoire (J.S. Bach’s “Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue; Rachmaninoff’s “Etude-Tableau, Op. 39 No. 2”; Schumann’s “Kreisleriana”) with innovative late-20th and 21st century works (David Lang’s “Cage” and “wed”; Elliott Carter’s “Two Thoughts About the Piano”; Julia Wolfe’s “Earring”; and Jason Eckardt’s “Echoes’ white veil”).

Tao will also present a masterclass on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3:00 p.m. in OSU’s Community Hall room 303, 1650 SW Pioneer Place. The masterclass is free and open to the public; space is limited.

Tickets $25 advance, $28 door. College students with ID and youth 8-18 admitted free. Advance tickets may be purchased online at corvallispiano.org or locally in Corvallis at Grass Roots Books & Music. To request accommodations relating to a disability please call (541) 758-0036, preferably at least one week in advance.

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About Corvallis-OSU Piano International: Corvallis-OSU Piano International furthers the appreciation and celebration of piano music and performance in our community by providing high-quality performances, outreach opportunities and educational programs. COPI presents the Steinway Piano Series, an annual concert series featuring world-class performers. Children’s concerts, master classes, lectures and a jazz series also serve as part of a mission to bring people together in a culture of piano through performance, education and advocacy.

Corvallis-OSU Piano International presents “Noche de Alma Latinoamericana” Oct. 20

October 03, 2019 in Piano, Chamber Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 3, 2019

Corvallis-OSU Piano International presents “Noche de Alma Latinoamericana” Oct. 20

By Zachary C. Person

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Corvallis-OSU Piano International presents the third annual “Noche de Alma Latinoamericana” on Sunday, October 19 from 2:00 – 5:30 p.m. at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.

The free, family-friendly event is dedicated to bringing together classical and folk traditions of Latin America. This year’s theme is “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead), and attendees are invited and encourage to dress in traditional clothing.

Pianists William Villaverde and Fabiana Claure are the featured performers. The husband-wife duo, who are from Cuba and Bolivia respectively, present “A Piano Journey Through Latin America” featuring works such as Bolivian “Cuecas”, Brazilian tangos, classical and jazz-inspired Cuban music, and a four-hand piano arrangement of Astor Piazzolla’s “Tango Suite.”

Local youth musicians Amaia Arismendi (piano), Isaac Heredia (piano), Kai Frueh (piano), Ben Frueh (violin), Elsa Moreno (voice) and Jesus Moreno (guitar) will also present a performance during the festival.

The complete festival schedule of events includes:

· 2:00-5:00 p.m. – Corvallis Arts Center Activities (Dia de los Muertos) (Giustina Gallery)

· 2:00-2:30 p.m. – Dancing Workshop (Giustina Gallery)

· 2:30-3:15 p.m. – Local young musicians perform (Austin Auditorium)

· 4:00-5:00 p.m. – Claure and Villaverde piano duo performs (Austin Auditorium)

· 5:00-5:30 p.m. – Pan dulce and champurrado refreshments (Giustina Gallery)

“Noche de Latinoamericana” is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. To request accommodations relating to a disability please call (541) 758-0036, preferably at least one week in advance.

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Corvallis-OSU Symphony Society hosts Portland Youth Philharmonic Oct. 27

October 01, 2019 in Orchestra

Corvallis-OSU Symphony Society hosts Portland Youth Philharmonic Oct. 27

Story by: Zachary Person
Source: Josh Espinoza

CORVALIS, Ore. – The Portland Youth Philharmonic hosted by the Corvallis-OSU Symphony Society performs at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, October 27 in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th Street.

Portland Youth Philharmonic music director David Hattner leads the orchestra in three works: George Gershwin’s jazz-inspired Piano Concerto in F (1925) featuring 14-year-old Joshua Ji, winter of the 2019 Portland Piano International / SOLO Piano Competition; Amy Beach’s “Gaelic Symphony” (1894); and “Batuque” (1941) by Brazilian composer Oscar Lorenzo Fernández.

Following the immense success of his “Rhapsody in Blue” in 1924, George Gershwin (1898-1937) received a commission from Walter Damrosch and the New York Symphony that resulted in his popular three movement piano concerto. Unlike any composer before or since, Gershwin transcended the boundaries between jazz and classical music with his catalog of jazzy, blues-inflected works.

The “Gaelic Symphony” by Amy Beach (1867-1944) was the first symphony composed and published by an American woman. Despite her lack of European musical training, Beach was a highly regarded composer during the late-19thand early-20th centuries. In addition to her well-known compositions, Beach was an acclaimed piano soloist (frequently performing her own music) and also served as president of the board at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music.

Brazilian composer Oscar Lorenzo Fernández (1897-1948) was primarily known for his three-act opera “Malazarte.” “Batuque,” the third movement from a popular suite for orchestra extracted from the opera, is based on an Afro-Brazilian folk dance brilliantly adapted for symphony orchestra.

Tickets $5, all seating general admission. Advance tickets available at cosusymphony.org or at the box office beginning one hour prior to the performance. Accommodations relating to a disability may be made by calling 541-286-5580, preferably at least one week in advance.

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About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts includes fine and performing arts, humanities and social sciences, making it one of the largest and most diverse colleges at OSU. The college’s research and instructional faculty members contribute to the education of all university students and provide national and international leadership, creativity and scholarship in their academic disciplines.