Image Courtesy of Dennise Keys
Photo Memories of Chamber Players 2010.
Image Courtesy of Dennise Keys
Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts opened its performance season at Lincoln Hall with a marvelous Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Players Concert at Lincoln Hall in Foxburg. It was a pleasant April early Spring evening and the concert had a matching seasonal and energetic flow.
The first half of the concert featured two works of Demtri Shostakovich who wrote in a time of political and creative suppression by Stalin and the Soviet system. The mystery piece as it was called flowed melodically with the strings sweet and harmonically pleasing, then like a winter blast of cold the piano was in complete dissonance. Though the audience was for warned it still seemed as if at times there were all these wrong notes.
The second piece Seven Romances on Poems by A Blok, seemed harsh and dark as if the beautiful soprano Natalia Kraevsky was carried away by loss, sadness, and longing through a long winters night. Though the seventh song gave some indication of respite intermission gave time for the audience to take a breath.
Then came Spring, Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir of Florence for String sextet, written in an earlier time and sunny Florence, Italy lifted the audiences’ spirit and at the end to their feet. Spontaneous applause and voiced praised resounded in Lincoln Hall. What was clearly evident is that the blend of strings with no amplification was so lush and full of resonance that several people commented, “it was like hearing a full symphonic string section”… “it was magical.” The magic did not stop for the concert encore the Players preformed a specially arranged Dvorák Song to the Moon, and it seemed the last sweet note of the violin continued out into the Spring evening air.
From Previous Post :Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts Presents . . .
Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Players
Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts Classical Concert Series debuts with a special Sunday evening concert on April 10th. This wonderful music moment will begin at 6:30 PM at Lincoln Hall.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Players led by cello player Mikhail Istomin will include Jennifer Orchard, Marylene Gingras-Roy, Michael Lippman . They have preformed with exquisite grace and artistic musical mastery here in 2010 and are returning this spring with a totally new program entitled Russian Passions, including dramatic selections from the icon composer Tchaikovsky.
Lincoln Hall provides the close proximity of audience to performer, and enables musician to engage and connect intimately with the listener. One can see the subtle nuance of eye, smile, and body movement which makes the music come alive.
Mr. Mikhail Istomin of the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Players has been very pleased with the venue and is quite satisfied with last season’s performances, as well as being moved by the audience’s enthusiastic response. Energized he is now preparing for the two concerts this season the first the upcoming Sunday evening performance and their return for ARCA's Classical Music Festival in October.
Before or after the performance those attending the concert can meet for dinner at the Allegheny Grille and expect a companion concert premium, plan to make reservations and do not miss out of making it a dinner and concert evening.
Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber PlayersPittsburgh Chamber Players is an acclaimed group of Pittsburgh Symphony musicians performing in mixed ensembles of two to eight artists. Pittsburgh Chamber Players’ mission is to perform music that serves to honor the art of chamber music, to expand cultural awareness and to build bridges in the community through concerts, lectures and master classes. Chamber Players include Jennifer Orchard, violin; Marylene Gingras-Roy, viola; Mikhail Istomin, cello; Michael Lipman, cello; and Rodrigo Ojeda, piano.
Their performances are often interdisciplinary and along with traditional chamber music repertoire include rarely heard works and new compositions. Ensemble has been praised by critics and audiences as innovative, eclectic and of the highest artistic quality.
With active commitment to the performing arts and contributions to enhance Pittsburgh’s region artistic reputation Pittsburgh Chamber Players create new contours in the landscape of chamber music, and develop new models for community-based arts organizations.
“They appealed to the heart and the head, offering a warm, seductively luxurious sound and an impressive precision and unity of purpose.”
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
“We are planning an exciting series with favorite chamber music treasures, new musical flavors and stirring experiences that you are sure to love. Our concerts will engage and involve you with both the music and musicians for intimate and informative performances, taking chamber music back to its roots as an evening among friends. Join us for the adventure as we bring you the best of chamber music repertoire – music that is Up! Close! And personal!”
Mikhail Istomin, Artistic Director
Mr. Istomin is enthusiastic about the ARCA Chamber Players Concert Series, “it creates an opportunity for both the musicians and community to experience music in a special way, in the intimate atmosphere of Foxburg’s Lincoln Hall, and later in the year in the classrooms at A-C Valley Schools". ARCA is confident The Classical Music Festival program will build on the 2009 Mozart Festival and 2010 Beethoven successes and continue to enrich Allegheny Clarion Valley communities.