THE BEACH CITIES SYMPHONY JANUARY 2007
NEWSLETTER
BARRY BRISK, MUSIC DIRECTOR AND
CONDUCTOR
presents
ROBERTO CANI
VIOLIN SOLOIST
in a performance of
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
by Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Also Featuring
Introduction to Kovantchina by Modest Mussorgsky
La
Mer by Claude Debussy
Marsee Auditorium, El Camino College
Crenshaw Blvd. at Redondo Beach Blvd.
FREE ADMISSION AND FREE PARKING
Concert time: 8:15 P.M.
Pre-concert Lecture: 7:30 P.M.
Information: (310) 379-9725 or (310) 539-4649
The Beach Cities Symphony is proud to present violin soloist Roberto Cani playing Tchaikovsky’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra for the January concert. Mr. Cani is acclaimed throughout the music world as not just a performer, but also an “artiste,” and has been hailed by critics as “…a violinist of high caliber following a great Italian tradition of the virtuoso violinist, Paganini.”
Roberto Cani began his studies at the age of seven and made his solo debut at the age of nine. He is a graduate of the Milan Conservatory, the Gnessin Institute Moscow, and the University of Southern California. He has studied with world-renowned violinists Zinaida Gilels, Viktor Tretiakov, Abrahm Shtern, Pavel Vernikov, and Alice Schoenfeld. He has taught at summer festivals in Positano, Italy and Hvar, Croatia. Most recently, he was invited to be a Professor at the Portogruaro Summer Music Festival in Italy.
Mr. Cani launched his concert career when he won the prestigious Paganini International Competition in Genoa at the age of 21. In the same year, he won the Courcillon International Competition in France, and the Jeunesses Musicales International Competition in Belgrade, where he also captured a special prize for the best performance of a contemporary work. He also won the national Minetti Prize in Italy, and top honors at the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow.
In addition to his native Italy, Roberto Cani concertizes throughout the United States as well as Germany, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Russia, Croatia, Poland, Serbia, France, Taiwan, Japan, and South Africa. He is a frequent soloist with orchestras and has performed, most notably, with the Moscow Philharmonic, La Scala Orchestra, RAI Symphony (Italy), Belgrade Orchestra, Zagreb Orchestra, and Missouri Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Cani has performed in major music halls worldwide including Los Angeles’ Royce Hall, and Moscow’s Bolshoi Zal and Tchaikovsky Zal.
Roberto Cani premiered Borecki’s “Fantasy for Violin and Piano.” He has also premiered “Zigane and Kardos” by Randy Kerber—dedicated to him and renowned cellist Andrew Shulman—and “Vis Vitae” by Aaron Zigman.
Mr. Cani performs on a Pietro Guarneri of Venice violin on loan from the ProCanale Foundation in Italy.
In the members’ raffle at our October 27 concert the CDs were won by Barbara Malmo and Nancy Means both of Torrance. The floral arrangement by Lily’s Flowers and Gifts was won by Tom Casey and Bev Lovelace of San Pedro. In the general raffle, Ruth Boyce of Redondo Beach won the gift certificate for dinner for two at the Second City Bistro in El Segundo. The gift basket from The Gifted Basket in Manhattan Beach was won by Dawn Aulenbrock of Torrance.
MARCH 23, 2007
Joel Feigen: Elegy
Richard Wagner: Prelude and Love-Death, from Tristan and Isolde
Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2. Georgi Slavchev, soloist
MAY 25, 2007
Barry Brisk: Serenade for Orchestra (World Première)
MTAC Artists of the Future soloists: to be announced
George Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
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FRIEND—AND THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
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THANK YOU
FOR YOUR DONATION
Mail to: Beach Cities
Symphony Assn., P.O. Box 248; Redondo Beach, CA 90278-0248
For information call
(310) 379-9725
WE WELCOME OUR NEW BEACH CITIES SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS:
William C. Briggs, Jr.
Trish Farley
Cassandra Kwoh
Michael S. Okamoto
Judith & Rolf Sannes
William Seaman
Nancy Taugner
Thank you for supporting our organization!
When Board Member and MTAC Competition Co-chair Anli Tong suggested that the Beach Cities Symphony needs to do more to meet the needs of our growing young audience, her idea was enthusiastically accepted. The realization is that many young people are not exposed to classical music at an early age and grow up thinking of classical music as—well—boring. Ms. Tong suggested lectures to be presented to the young people of our audience—separate from the lectures given by Maestro Brisk to the general audience. These lectures, originally envisioned as an adjunct to the Artists of the Future Concert in May, would be presented by the peers of our young audience—accomplished music students of the MTAC teachers. The presentations at the May concert were so well received that it was decided to do another lecture for the first concert of the 2006-2007 concert season.
Two students were chosen to give presentations for the October 27 concert.. They were given the subject, allowed to work on their own research, perform a “prep” session, and refine the finish product. Both students credited Mrs. Anli Tong with giving them much assistance.
Robert Gunzenhauser, a fifteen-year-old freshman at Palos Verdes High School, gave a short talk on Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides” Overture. He compared the changing moods in the music to the changing moods of the ocean and the resemblance of parts of the music to the pitter-patter of rain and the eventual build-up into a roar of brass instruments playing the thunder and lightning. He involved his audience by asking questions about their knowledge of different composers. A violin student of Elmer Su (a BCSA soloist in our March 2006 concert) Robert also participates in cross-country and the school orchestra.
Eric Hsieh, a fourteen-year-old piano student of Charlotte and Edwin Deveny and a violin student of John Wang gave a lecture about Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathetique.” He played excerpts from each of the four movements and talked mostly about Tchaikovsky’s personal life, indicating that the Pathetique was essentially Tchaikovsky’s autobiography. Eric is president of his freshman class at Peninsula High School and is on the Peninsula Cross Country Team.
The BCSA was honored to also have as a presenter Mrs. Gina Coletti, the wife of the evening’s soloist, Paul Coletti who performed Béla Bartók’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. Mrs. Coletti spoke about Bartók’s use of folk themes in his music to find a common ground with the young audience. In speaking about Bartók as one of the first enthnomusicoligists who went into the countryside to record the songs of the common folk, she used a Hungarian Folk Tale called “The Impudent Rooster” and linked the events of the story with the themes in the concerto. The music fit the story and the audience was entertained and enlightened.
This program is sponsored by the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC) South Bay Branch who provides funds for the set up by El Camino College on the mezzanine level. Mu Phi Epsilon (International Fraternity of Musicians), Palos Verdes Chapter, has also awarded a grant to run this project. One of our regular advertisers, A•Muse Music Store donates gift certificates for the student presenters. The BSCA is grateful to these supporters of this program. Mrs. Anli Tong has spearheaded this program and was assisted by a very able Lenee Bilski.
One of the goals of this project is to teach our young audience about the music they are to hear performed at each concert. By using young presenters, a “special” activity is created just for these young people. A second benefit gives the student presenters the opportunity to explore music beyond what they typically learn at a lesson. The motivated student is given the chance to research and present a short talk about a specific piece of music to his peers, which will hopefully nurture his own musical growth through this learning process, with the added benefit of gaining experience in public speaking. One of the most important goals of this program is to nurture and cultivate the understanding and love of music in our young people who will hopefully become the future base of supporters for classical music by providing them with a foundation on which this love and knowledge can grow.
Volunteers from the Beach Cities Symphony Board and Orchestra were on hand to assist at the Torrance Target store in early December. Target reserves a few hours, early on one day in December, to help young people with special needs to do their Christmas shopping. As an extra bonus, the purchases made by these young people, are wrapped for them, free of charge, by our Symphony volunteers.
To complement the festive occasion, this year three members of the orchestra teamed up to play Christmas carols. Violinists Joanne Satterburg and Margaret McWilliams were joined in harmony by String Bassist Bob Scott.
The Target Store in Torrance has been a generous yearly contributor to the Beach Cities Symphony Association. Their help is always greatly appreciated and the Symphony members were happy to assist Target with their community involvement.
Musical Trio: Joanne Satterburg, Margaret McWilliams, Bob Scott
Wrappers: AdaBelle Peterson, Erica Robinson, Jeanie Pelzman, Pat Chavez, Jen Floto, and Ruth MacFarlane.