C E N T E R FO R T H E PE R FO R M I N G A R T S 2023 / 2024 SEASON
THE BEST OF MUSIC, DANCE AND ENTERTAINMENT RETURNS TO STORRS! JORGENSEN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS JORGENSEN.UCONN.EDU 860-486-4226
CoSt ★rs Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
2023 - 2024 Co-Chairs: Jane Moskowitz & Ruth Buczynski $750 per person, $1,500 per couple
Elena Sevilla & Paul Aho Patricia Hempel Margarethe & Mona & Greg Anderson Shareen Hertel & Matthew Mashikian Marianne Barton Donald Swinton Antonia Moran Deborah Walsh Bellingham Jan Huber Jane & Robert Moskowitz In Memory of Lynn & Harry Johnson Constance & Rodney Rock Dr. Bruce A. Bellingham Nancy & John Silander Blair T. Johnson & Honey & Harry Birkenruth Beverly Sims & Blanche Şerban Ruth Buczynski William Okeson Janet & George Jones Carol Colombo Winthrop Smith Lin & Waldo Klein In Memory of In Memory of James Knox Maurice Thompson Anne K. Smith Ann Kouatly Susan & John DeWolf Michael & Susan Zito Becky & Scott Lehmann Stan & Sandy Hale Jean & John Lenard Judy & Peter Halvorson Gene Likens & Leola Spilbor
Join the CoStars, Jorgensen’s Active Volunteers!
The CoStars is a special group of volunteers who generously donate not only $750 per person, but also their talent and time. The invaluable CoStars support Jorgensen through community advocacy by creative fund-raising activities, and by hosting pre- and post-concert receptions that often feature world-class luminaries. The CoStars have been instrumental in the purchase of the new portable chamber stage and acoustical shell, a new Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano, funding the JOY! Conservatory Program, the installation of the exterior Jorgensen message center, the renovation of the Jorgensen Gallery, and continued support of Jorgensen programming. By becoming a CoStar, you’ll join with other vibrant, thoughtful and devoted arts lovers who have made Jorgensen’s success a priority. CoStars receive an honorary membership in the Jorgensen Circle of Friends at the Producers Circle level. Benefits include early ticket ordering privileges for one full year from the date of enrollment; reserved lower-level parking in the North Garage, providing a speedier exit after each Jorgensen event; and recognition in the Jorgensen playbill.
As a Special Thank You... An Invitation to the CoStars CoStar members receive an exclusive invitation to attend the Annual Sneak Peek hosted by Jorgensen Director Rodney Rock. This party offers attendees an exciting preview of the coming season – prior to the public announcement. Join the CoStars and be the first to know what’s new! If you are interested in becoming a CoStar, please contact Rodney Rock at 860-486-1983, or by e-mail at rodney.rock@uconn.edu.
Jorgensen
Circle of Friends 2023-2024 Become a Friend of Jorgensen!
We invite you to join Jorgensen’s Circle of Friends, a group of generous arts supporters who over the years have made vital contributions to Jorgensen’s special projects, commissioned works, and interior restorations. Your membership in the Circle of Friends entitles you to early ticket ordering privileges for one full year from the date of your enrollment; you will be recognized in the Jorgensen Playbill; and if you contribute at the Directors or Producers Circle levels, you will enjoy reserved parking in the North Campus Parking Garage for each Jorgensen performance you attend. Please consider making your tax-deductible donation and become a Circle of Friends member today. Simply call 860-486-4226 for more information.
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts gratefully acknowledges the support of its Friends. Producers Circle $500/person $1,000 & above/couple Elena Sevilla & Paul Aho* Mona & Greg Anderson* Marianne Barton* Deborah Walsh Bellingham* In Memory of Dr. Bruce A. Bellingham* Honey & Harry Birkenruth* Lynn Brown Ruth Buczynski* Carol Colombo* In Memory of Maurice Thompson* Michael Cucka Susan & John DeWolf* Ms. Joan N. Gionfriddo Stan & Sandy Hale* Judy & Peter Halvorson* Patricia Hempel* Shareen Hertel & Donald Swinton* Jan Huber* Lynn & Harry Johnson*
Blair T. Johnson & Blanche Şerban* Janet & George Jones* Lin & Waldo Klein* James Knox* Ann Kouatly* Becky & Scott Lehmann* Jean & John Lenard* Gene Likens & Leola Spilbor* Margarethe & Matthew Mashikian* Antonia Moran* Jane & Robert Moskowitz* Craig & Karen Nass Barbara Rhein & Stan Shaw Constance & Rodney Rock* Stella Ross & Eric Schultz Cheryl A. & Mark J. Roy Nancy & John Silander* Beverly Sims & William Okeson* Winthrop Smith* In Memory of Anne K. Smith*
Dana Wilder Keith Wilson & Marjorie Hayes Karen Zimmer & Roger Ingraham Michael & Susan Zito* *Members of the Jorgensen CoStars
Directors Circle $250/person, $500/couple Anonymous Keith & Paula Enderle Mr. David Johnson David & Carol Jordan Tom Martin & Susan Spiggle Steven & Barbara Rogers Ms. Joanne Sousa Ms. Nancy A. Swiacki In honor of Janina W. Swiacki & Nancy A. Swiacki
Artists Circle $125/person, $250/couple Pat Anderson Dorothy Blocker Bennett & Linda Brockman Dr. & Mrs. Steven & Elaine Cohen M. Kevin & Jeanne Fahey Betty Hale Betty & Ken Hanson Ms. Cathy Jameson & Ms. Renee Fournier Mary Lacek & Neil Aldin Gerald & Zoe Leibowitz Carl Nawrocki Len Oberg Bonnie Ryan Harriet Walker Patrons Circle $50/person, $100/couple Anonymous Roger & Cynthia Adams Ms. Sandra Albom Susan & John Boland Irene & Richard Brown Anne-Marie Campbell Paul D’Italia Mary & Michael Donnelly
Dr. & Mrs. Ed & Critics Circle Susan Grace $25/person, Peter Jacques $50/couple Richard & Karin James Joyce Armstrong Col. & Dr. Leonard & Ms. Joyce Donohoo Howard & Carol Drescher Judith Kaplan Drs. Rebecaa & Jacob Earp Art Kirschenbaum & Mrs. Joy Favretti Cheryl Pomerantz Margaret & Peter Files Yves & Carol Kraus Mrs. Audrey Gough Donald Kray Wendy Leclair Shoshana Levinson & Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Linonis Chris Crossgrove Julia J. & Carl W. Lindquist, MD Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Madar Donna Matulis Robin Lubatkin John H. Mayer & Kelly Olander Irwin M. Krieger Susan Phillips Mr. & Mrs. Alan Miller Edith Posselt Robert G. Paris Yvonne & Joseph Prudente Sari & James Rosokoff Mrs. Laura T. Raccagni Mrs. Pamela Sutkaitis Mr. & Mrs. Eric A. Santini Patricia Tanaka Jacqueline Seide Denise Winland Paul & Annette Shapiro Director’s Fund Dr. Jay S. Shivers Honey & Harry Birkenruth Susan Stoppelman Diane & Joseph Briody Jamie Summers Jo & George Fox Jeremy Teitelbaum Mr. Thomas French & Adeline Theis Dr. Carol Norris Ms. Susanna Thomas Marsha Hilsenrad Shirley Waldron Ann Kouatly NICABM Jennifer Person
Endowed Sponsorship Program The Endowed Sponsorship Program provides individuals and families with the opportunity to support Jorgensen by sponsoring any concert or other program. Benefits to Endowed Sponsors will include name recognition in the Jorgensen playbill, additional recognition in the community through press releases provided by the University, and an opportunity to visit with the guest artist. Sponsorship could be a means of celebrating a special holiday or anniversary, or of dedicating an event to a loved one. Most importantly, by contributing to the cost of current programs, sponsors would help ensure that the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts will continue to present wonderful music and other programs in the future. Your gift would benefit not only Jorgensen, but also the community at large. Patrons interested in sponsoring an event should contact Rodney Rock at 860-486-1983 or rodney.rock@uconn.edu for further information.
Jorgensen Outreach for Youth Funded through private contributions as well as corporate support, JOY! provides school-age children, many from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with access to live performances and special enrichment programs. Now in its 16th season, the JOY! Conservatory program offers instrumental and vocal students in grades 9-12 the opportunity for a rigorous course of study including private lessons, ensemble rehearsals and coaching, and basic musicianship courses. For more information, contact Jorgensen director Rodney Rock at 860-486-1983.
Corporate / Foundation Sponsors SBM Charitable Foundation Diamond / $1000+ Honey & Harry Birkenruth Harry & Lynn Johnson James Knox Jean & John Lenard Nancy & John Silander Mrs. Nora Stevens
Ruby / $300+ Becky & Scott Lehmann The University of Connecticut League, Inc. Sapphire / $100+ Ms. Margaret Dillon & Dr. Larry Bowman Maryellen Donnelly & James Krall Jan Huber Carol & David Jordan
Craig Knox In memory of Jane L. Knox The McChesney Family In honor of James Knox Pearl / up to $99 Sabrina & Daniel Bowersett Paul D’Italia Karen Jason Robin Lubatkin
Lenard Chamber Music Endowment Fund The Lenard Chamber Series is made possible through the generosity of longtime patrons Jean and John Lenard and the Lenard Chamber Music Endowment. Thanks to the generous philanthropy of patrons Jean and John Lenard, chamber music, one of the hallmarks and most dearly loved elements of the programming at Jorgensen, is secure well into the future. Also thanks to the Lenard Endowment, UConn students, non-UConn students, and area youth are invited to attend all chamber music events for free. Please join this giving community and make your contribution today. To make a gift, contact Jorgensen Director Rodney Rock at rodney.rock@uconn.edu or 860-486-1983, or visit jorgensen.uconn.edu/online/article/lenard-endowment. Jane & Robert Moskowitz George & Janet Jones Jean & John Lenard Lauren & Eric Prause Carol & David Jordan Elena Sevilla & Paul Aho Donald Shankweiler & Lin & Waldo Klein Greg & Mona Anderson Ruth Garrett Millikan James Knox Deborah Walsh Bellingham John & Nancy Silander June & Henry Krisch Ruth Buczynski Beverly Sims & Becky & Scott Lehmann Carol Colombo William Okeson Shoshana Levinson & Anne D’Alleva Kenneth & Janet Slavett Chris Crossgrove Kenneth Doeg Judy & Peter Halvorson Julia J. & Carl W. Lindquist, MD Marilyn & Arthur Wright Joan & Austin McGuigan Patricia Hempel
WORLD-CLASS CARE IN STORRS.
UConn Health offers primary and specialty care, dental services, and urgent care right in Downtown Storrs. We also have a Sports Medicine Walk-In Clinic for quick assessment and treatment of athletic injuries. Adjacent to our Storrs campus, our highly experienced and compassionate providers offer comprehensive medical care for you and your family. Services in Storrs Blood Draw
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COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS LENARD HALL 450 S. EAGLEVILLE ROAD, STORRS, CT Home to Music, Performing, & Visual Arts Instruction in Mansfield. Programs available to all towns & for all ages. WWW.MANSFIELDCT.GOV/CSA 860.429.3015
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SPEECH AND HEARING CLINIC
Evaluation, treatment and management of speech, language and hearing concerns, including hearing aids and related services.
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM 2 Alethia Drive Storrs Please call to schedule an appointment:
860-486-2629
speechandhearingclinic@uconn.edu or visit us at: https://clinic.speech-language-hearing.uconn.edu/
We accept most insurances.
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F O R YO U R I N F O R M AT I O N JORGENSEN BOX OFFICE (860) 486-4226 jorgensen.uconn.edu Hours Mon-Fri, 10-5 pm, and 90 minutes before curtain. CRT BOX OFFICE (860) 486-2113 crt.uconn.edu Hours Mon-Fri, 11-1 pm, and 60 minutes before curtain.
SPECIAL SERVICE Accessible rest rooms located in the lower Jorgensen & Katter lobbies. Elevator service from the main Jorgensen lobby down to the lower lobby only. ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Free from the front office for Jorgensen and Katter Theatre productions.
LATE ARRIVALS Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the artists’ management.
TOO LOUD? Free hearing protection is available upon request from the front office.
CAMERAS AND RECORDING DEVICES Strictly prohibited.
LOST AND FOUND ARTICLES Can be reported or picked up at each box office.
SMOKING Not permitted within 25 feet of the building. CHILDREN AND INFANTS Tickets are required for everyone, no matter how young. Minimum 4 years old recommended for Jorgensen Center events and CRT productions. BAG POLICY For the safety of all, bags and backpacks larger than 10” x 10” are prohibited in the theater. Small bags and purses are permitted. An exception will be made for medically necessary items and diaper bags after proper inspection. All bags are subject to search.
REFRESHMENT BARS Enjoy refreshments at your seat. Bars located in the upper Jorgensen and main lobbies of each theater. GROUP TICKETS Call the respective box office for more information. REST ROOMS Located in the upper and lower Jorgensen lobbies and the Katter Theatre lobby.
PARKING & TRAVEL Parking is available across from Jorgensen in the North Garage. For a detailed parking map, visit park.uconn.edu PLEASE NOTE: The parking fee for Jorgensen events is now included as part of your ticket price. Patrons will no longer have to pay upon entry or exit in the North Garage. All gates have been removed and gateless parking begins one hour prior to showtime through the conclusion of each performance. Please note: this applies to North Garage only. IMPORTANT UPDATE: Hillside Road on the UConn Storrs campus is closed to vehicular traffic between Glenbrook Road and Jim Calhoun Way. Motorists who park in North Garage should access the garage by taking Discovery Drive or Glenbrook Road to the garage entrance on north Hillside Road.
IMANI WINDS Program Update: Imani Winds oboist,
Toyin Spellman-Diaz,
will be substituted by Mekhi Gladden
for this evening’s performance.
Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 7:30 pm University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts Alain Frogley, Interim Dean Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts Rodney Rock, Director presents
Brandon Patrick George, flute Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe Mark Dover, clarinet Kevin Newton, French horn Monica Ellis, bassoon
Co-Sponsored by the H. Fred Simons African American Cultural Center Media Sponsors
Arts Management Group 130 West 57th Street, Suite 6A New York, NY 10019 www.artsmg.com
PROGRAM I Said What I Said*
A celebration of composers of color
Giants† i. Bessie Smith ii. Cornel West iii. Herbie Hancock
Damien Geter Carlos Simon
Selections from Aires Tropicales
Paquito D’Rivera
— INTERMISSION — Rubispheres No. 1 (For flute, clarinet & bassoon) i. DROM ii. Serenade iii. Revival BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging ‡ I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
Valerie Coleman
Andy Akiho (b. 1979) Billy Taylor (1921-2010) arr. Mark Dover
*Written for Imani Winds. Commissioned by Anima Mundi Productions, Chamber Music Northwest and the Oregon Bach Festival. Premiered April 28, 2022 in Portland, OR. †Commissioned by Imani Winds and Shriver Concert Hall Series. Premiered May 14, 2023. ‡ Commissioned by Imani Winds with support from the Concert Artists Guild Richard Weinert Award, the Imani Winds Foundation and the Kaufman Music Center. Premiered October 26, 2022 in New York City
IMANI WINDS Celebrating over a quarter century of music making, the twice GRAMMY nominated Imani Winds has led both a revolution and evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing, adventurous programming, imaginative collaborations and outreach endeavors that have inspired audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The ensemble’s playlist embraces traditional chamber music repertoire, and newly commissioned works from voices that reflect historical events and the times in which we currently live. Recent projects include a Jessie Montgomery composition inspired by her great-grandfather’s migration from the American south to the north, socially conscious music by Andy Akiho, reflecting on mass incarceration, and a work by Carlos Simon celebrating iconic figures of the African American community. These works and more have been commissioned as a part of the Legacy Commissioning Project. Twenty-six seasons of full-time touring has brought Imani Winds to virtually every major chamber music series, performing arts center, and summer festival in the U.S. They regularly perform in prominent venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center and have a presence at festivals such as Chamber Music Northwest, Chautauqua Institution and Banff Centre. Imani Winds thoughtfully curates unique residencies that include performances, workshops, and masterclasses to thousands of students each year at institutions such as the University of Chicago, Eastman School of Music and Duke University. Their international presence includes concerts throughout Asia, Brazil, Australia, England, New Zealand and Europe. Appointed in 2021 as Curtis Institute of Music’s first ever Faculty Wind Quintet, Imani Winds commitment to education runs deep. The highly successful Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival launched in 2010, is an annual summer program devoted to musical excellence and career development for pre-professional instrumentalists and composers. The curriculum includes mentorship, masterclasses, entrepreneurial workshops,
community engagement activities and performances, with the goal of fostering the complete musician and global citizen. In 2019, the group extended their mission even further by creating the non-profit organization, Imani Winds Foundation, which exists to support, connect and uplift their initiatives and more. Imani Winds’ travels through the jazz world are highlighted by their multifaceted association with luminary musicians and composers Wayne Shorter, Paquito D’Rivera and Jason Moran. Their ambitious project, "Josephine Baker: A Life of Le Jazz Hot!" featured jazz songstress René Marie in performances that brought the house down in New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Los Angeles and St. Louis. In 2021, Imani Winds released their 9th studio album, “Bruits” on Bright Shiny Things Records, which received a 2022 GRAMMY nomination for “Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance.” Gramophone states, “the ensemble’s hot rapport churns with conviction throughout.” Imani Winds has recordings on Koch International Classics and E1 Music, including their 2006 GRAMMY nominated recording, “The Classical Underground”. They have also recorded for Naxos and Blue Note and released an acclaimed arrangement of Stravinsky’s "Rite of Spring" on Warner Classics. They are regularly heard on all media platforms including NPR, American Public Media, the BBC, SiriusXM, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. To date, one of Imani Winds’ most humbling recognitions is a permanent presence in the classical music section of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC.
~~~
Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 7:30 pm
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts
The Lenard Chamber Music Series
Imani Winds PROGRAM NOTES
A celebration of composers of color I Said What I Said . . . Damien Geter (Born in 1981) As a composer, Damien Geter infuses classical music with various styles from the black diaspora. The music he writes serves to enhance and strengthen the cause for social justice. He has received many recent commissions including ones from the Resonance Ensemble, The Washington Chorus, Washington National Opera, Opera Theater Oregon, the University of Michigan, and All Classical Portland. He is Composer-inResidence at the Richmond Symphony through the 2024-25 season and serves as the Interim Music Director and Artistic Advisor at the Portland (Oregon) Opera, as well as the Artistic Advisor for Resonance Ensemble. Geter’s rapidly growing body of work includes chamber, vocal, orchestral, and full operatic works, with his compositions being praised for their “skillful vocal writing” (Wall Street Journal.) On July 13, 2024, Des Moines Metro Opera will be presenting the world premiere of his opera, American Apollo. Loving v. Virginia, a new major work co-commissioned by Virginia Opera and the Richmond Symphony, will premiere as part of Virginia Opera’s 50th Anniversary Season in May 2025. Geter’s Annunciation is being featured this year in Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s concert Montgomery and the Blacknificent 7, and Richmond Symphony is premiering Sinfonia Americana, conducted by Music Director Valentina Peleggi. Geter’s recent commissions include ones from Resonance Ensemble, The Washington Chorus, Washington National Opera, Opera Theater Oregon, the University of Michigan, and All Classical Portland. Future commissions will include world premiere operatic productions at Seattle Opera, Virginia, InSeries, and Portland Operas as well as Emmanuel Music. Between 2024 and 2026, Geter will also have premieres at the Richmond Symphony.
Meanwhile, last season, Cotton was given its world premiere in Philadelphia followed by its performance at The Kennedy Center. Geter also conducted his own piece, An African American Requiem, at Fort Worth Opera, plus led the performance of ABSENCE: Terence Blanchard with Portland Opera. Geter was influenced by Beethoven, whose music he heard as a child on records that his parents owned, as well as by Brahms, Mahler, and Shostakovich. He also loves the music of John Adams and is a big admirer of Anthony Davis, who has written such works as the opera The Central Park Five, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2020. A celebrated bass-baritone, who is “possessed of a rolling, resonant voice even at the lowest register” (Northwest Reverb) Geter has performed in opera as well as on television. He made his Metropolitan debut in Porgy and Bess as the Undertaker, and most recently, he performed in Seattle Opera’s filmed production of Jonathan Dove’s Flight. He also toured with the prestigious American Spiritual Ensemble, a group that promotes the preservation of the spiritual. I Said What I Said (2022), is a work of feverishly active, jazz-propelled rhythms inspired by a phrase credited to TV personality NeNe Leakes, who became the breakout star on Bravo’s reality television series “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” After George Floyd’s murder by a white policeman, the phrase “I said what I said” has been used to express frustration and annoyance at not being heard or being asked for unnecessary clarification,” Newton, the newest member of the Imani Winds explained. He went on to say that the piece follows a theme and variation structure, in essence finding new ways to say the same thing over and over in different ways. He asserts, “It’s very appropriate. It’s part of a much larger conversation about how Black people are treated in this country.” Geter has provided his own program note for I Said What I Said: “‘I said what I said,’ is a phrase that was coined by TV personality NeNe Leakes and has since become a colloquialism in the Black community to emphasize a point – usually one that was mentioned (often repeatedly) a time before. I Said what I Said for woodwind quintet will use musical phrases in repetition to symbolize the continuous conversations Black people have about their (our) experiences living in the world, and how we must constantly defend ourselves against those whose equity lens is tainted.”
Giants . . . Carlos Simon (Born in 1986 in Washington, D.C.) Carlos Simon is a multi-genre composer and performer who is a passionate advocate for diversity in music. His music ranges from concert music for large and small ensembles to film scores with influences of jazz, gospel, and neo-Romanticism. His music embraces classical textures and structures in a contemporary aesthetic alongside strong jazz, hip-hop, and heavy gospel influences. Simon holds a doctoral degree from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Michael Daugherty. He also holds degrees from Georgia State University and Morehouse College. He has studied in Baden, Austria at the Hollywood Music Workshop and at New York University’s Film Scoring Summer Workshop. Simon grew up in a household where he was forbidden to listen to anything other than gospel music; consequently, he has described gospel’s improvisatory nature as a critical influence in the development of his own compositional style; he also identifies the work of such composers as Beethoven and Brahms as being significant for him. “If you’ve been to an African-American Pentecostal church, you know people are free to worship however they want to,” said Simon. “I’ve embedded my upbringing and background into my music, whether it’s improvising or purposely putting in certain idioms of gospel and jazz. I’m always drawing from that background. I’m not a preacher, though. I like to say that music is my pulpit.” and he describes it as “leavened with a longstanding interest in social justice issues.” Simon was a recipient of the 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization, recognizing extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians. He attended the ASCAP Film Music Workshop in Los Angeles in 2019. Described as an “overall driving force” by Review Graveyard and featured on Apple Music’s Albums to Watch, My Ancestor’s Gift, Simon’s 2018 album, incorporates spoken word and historic recordings to craft a multifaceted program of musical works inspired as much by the past as by the present. With support from the US Embassy in Tokyo and US/Japan Foundation, Simon traveled with the Asia–America New Music Institute (AANMI) on a tour of Japan in 2018, performing concerts in sacred temples and concert spaces in Japan. As a part of the Sundance Institute, Simon was a Sundance/Time Warner Composer Fellow.
Simon’s music spans genres, taking great inspiration from liturgical texts and writers such as Terrance Hayes, Colson Whitehead, Lynn Nottage, Emma Lazarus, Isabel Wilkerson, Ruby Aiyo Gerber, and Courtney Lett, as well as the art of Romare Bearden. His string quartet Elegy, which honors the lives of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner, was recently performed at the Kennedy Center in the Mason Bates JFK Jukebox Series. In September 2023, Simon released two new albums: Together is a compilation of solo, chamber compositions, and arrangements featuring Simon and guest artists. The work draws on Simon’s personal experience and highlights the importance of heritage and identity, as well as the power of collaborative music-making. Simon also released the live premiere recording of brea(d)th, a landmark work commissioned by Minnesota Orchestra and written in collaboration with Marc Bamuthi Joseph, conducted by Jonathan Taylor Rush. “Arguably the most important commission of Simon’s career so far” (New York Times), brea(d)th was written following George Floyd’s murder as a response to America’s unfulfilled promises and history of systemic oppression against Black Americans. Simon was nominated for a 2023 GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for his previous album, Requiem for the Enslaved. Requiem is a multi-genre musical tribute to commemorate the stories of the 272 enslaved men, women, and children sold in 1838 by Georgetown University, where Simon now teaches. (He has also taught at Spelman College and Morehouse College in Atlanta.) In it, Simon includes African American spirituals and familiar Catholic liturgical melodies, spoken words, spirituals, and hip hop. Simon is the current Composer-in-Residence for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and frequently writes for the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera. The 2023/24 season is featuring premiere performances with many orchestras across the country. Giants was commissioned by the Imani Winds and Shriver Concert Hall Series. It premiered May 14, 2023. Simon writes, “Giants was inspired by five Black Americans who have influenced me and my identity as a composer - Bessie Smith, Maya Angelou, Ronald E. McNair, Cornel West and Herbie Hancock. Each movement is meant to embody the work and personality (as best as I can gather) through music. I want to not only pay homage to these giants, but offer a
character study through music of their works.” Jessie Montgomery, a fellow composer/friend commented that Simon is “very committed to carrying a story through his music, carrying narrative and carrying meaning.” Simon sees himself as a griot, “a keeper of stories through music”; many of his tales offer “a positive message, the positive response to the struggle.” Giants, an homage to great women and men of color, contains an eclectic range of styles and idioms from the bluesy grace notes and vamps of “Bessie Smith, Empress of the Blues” to the slower selection, more meditative in character as a portrait of Cornel West, to edgy syncopations of iconic pianist “Herbie Hancock,” reminiscent of “cool” jazz. “The goal of an artist is to be a voice for the present-day society,” Simon says. “My goal has been to have my music reflect the ideas and events of the time and hopefully make someone better.” Simon’s characterization of himself as a musical storyteller is further borne out by two works also premiering this month: a Trombone Concerto written for Detroit Symphony principal trombonist Kenneth Thompkins based on the experiences of an Underground Railroad conductor, and Brea[d]th, an oratorio commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra. Selections from Aires Tropicales . . . Paquito D’Rivera (Born in June 4, 1948 in Havana, Cuba) Paquito D’Rivera, the winner of sixteen Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, (5 Grammy and 11 Latin Grammys) is celebrated both for his artistry in Latin jazz and his achievements as a classical composer. The only artist ever to have won Grammy awards in both the Classical and Latin Jazz music categories, he often creates genre defying compositions. He began his musical studies as a young child, studying classical saxophone from the age of five with his father, Tito Rivera. Paquito D’Rivera debuted with the National Theatre Orchestra at age ten, studied at the Havana Conservatory of Music, and, at seventeen, became a featured soloist with the Cuban National Symphony. He co-founded the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna and was its conductor for two years. In 1973, he became co-director of Irakere, a popular ensemble that became known for its explosive mixture of jazz, rock, classical, and traditional Cuban idioms. In 1981, while on tour in Spain, D’Rivera defected from Cuba by seeking asylum in the United States Embassy. Since that time, he
has toured the world with the Paquito D’Rivera Big Band, the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet, and the Chamber Jazz Ensemble and has recorded more than 30 solo albums. In 1988, he was a founding member of the United Nation Orchestra, a 15-piece ensemble that Dizzy Gillespie organized to showcase the fusion of Latin and Caribbean influences with jazz. In 1991, D’Rivera received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Carnegie Hall for his contributions to Latin music and was featured on the Grammy Award-winning recording, Live at the Royal Festival Hall. He has appeared at or written commissions for Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Library of Congress, the National Symphony Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Costa Rican National Symphony Orchestra, Simón Bolivar Symphonic Orchestra, and Montreal’s Gerald Danovich Saxophone Quartet. His numerous commissions also include compositions for Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Library of Congress, the National Symphony Orchestra and Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Turtle Island String Quartet, Ying String Quartet, the International Double Reed Society, Syracuse University, Montreal’s Gerald Danovich Saxophone Quartet, and the Grant Park Music Festival. In 2005, Imani Winds, a woodwind quintet committed to the exploration of diverse world music traditions and the broadening of the traditional wind quintet literature, commissioned “Kites.” This work personifies freedom and the vision that liberty and independence have a foundation through culture and music. D’Rivera is the artistic director of jazz programming at the New Jersey Chamber Music Society and director of the Festival Internacional de Jazz en el Tambo (Punta del Este, Uruguay) and the Duke Ellington Festival in Washington, DC. His memoir, My Sax Life, was released in 2005, the year he received the National Medal of Arts. His numerous recordings include more than 30 solo albums. He has served as artistic director of jazz programming at the New Jersey Chamber Music Society and continues as Artistic Director of the Festival Internacional de Jazz de Punta Del Este in Uruguay, and the D.C. Jazz Festival in Washington, DC., and Jazz Patagonia in Chile. Paquito D’Rivera’s collaboration with Quinteto Cimmaron provided a return to the musical roots of Cubans with diverse musical leanings and highlighting Cuban composers. Aires Tropicales is a testament of excellence of this cadre of Cubans.
The Aspen Wind Quintet commissioned D’Rivera’s original sevenmovement work, Aires Tropicales. It was premiered at the Frick Museum in 1994 in New York. The movements are as follows: “Alborada,” a lilting morning serenade is an introduction; “Son,” with an ostinato Latin bass line in the bassoon and horn; “Habañera,” a trio movement for flute, clarinet and bassoon in the style of Ravel which D’ Rivera gives the recognizable national rhythm of Cuba; here, D’Rivera gives it a mournful tone; “Vals Venezolano,” a lively Venezuelan waltz; “Dizzyness,” an homage to the late, great Dizzy Gillespie; “Contradanza,” an upbeat Cuban dance in which D’Rivera creates a striking blend of Cuban rhythm and classical form; and “Afro,” which begins with a flute solo, followed by an energetic, rhythmic six-eight dance over an African ostinato. The order of the last two movements may be switched so that the piece ends with the “Contradanza,” instead of “Afro.” Rubispheres (2012) . . . Valerie Coleman (Born in 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky) Flutist, composer, educator, and founder of the Imani Winds, Valerie Coleman began her music studies in the third grade. By the age of fourteen, she had written three symphonies and had won several local and state competitions. She received a double Bachelor’s degree in Theory/Composition and Flute Performance from Boston University and a Master’s Degree in Flute Performance from Mannes College of Music in New York. She was a featured soloist in the Mannes 2000 Bach Festival, two-time laureate of the Young Artist Competition at Boston University, recipient of the Aspen Music Festival Wombwell Kentucky Award, the inaugural recipient of the Michelle E. Sahm Memorial Award at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and recipient of Meet the Composer’s 2003 Edward and Sally Van Lier Memorial Fund Award. She has served on the faculty of The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program and Interschool Orchestras of New York. Currently, she is on the advisory panel of the National Flute Association. She is an assistant professor at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Coleman’s music infuses contemporary orchestration with jazz, AfroCuban traditions, various distinct sonorities from within Africa, as well as from her African-American musical heritage. She is best known for the wind quintet work, Umoja, which was listed by Chamber Music America as one of the “101 Great American Works.” She has been a composer/ flutist in residence with Young Audiences NYC, Chenango Music Festival, Allegheny Music Festival, and recently completed a mentorship with the Brooklyn Philharmonic.
She was Performance Today’s 2020 Classical Woman of the Year, described as one of the “Top 35 Female Composers in Classical Music” by critic Anne Midgette of the Washington Post. Her music is among the world’s most played of composers living today, and her compositions are easily recognizable for their inspired style. With works that range from flute sonatas that recount the stories of trafficked humans during the Middle Passage and orchestral and chamber works based on nomadic Roma tribes, to scherzos about moonshine in the Mississippi Delta region, and motifs based on Morse Code, her body of works is highly regarded as a deeply relevant contribution to modern music. Through her creations and performances, Coleman has carved a unique path for her artistry; much of her music has joined the standard repertoire. Among the commissions Coleman has received are ones from Carnegie Hall, American Composers Orchestra, Library of Congress, Collegiate Band Directors National Association, Chamber Music Northwest, Virginia Tech University, Virginia Commonwealth University, National Flute Association, West Michigan Flute Society, Orchestra 2001, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Flute/Clarinet Duos Consortium, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Music Northwest, and the Interlochen Arts Academy. Coleman is a highly sought-after clinician and recitalist with more than two decades of experience presenting masterclasses, lectures, and clinics across the country. She was recently an artist-in-residence at Mannes College of Music, served on the faculty of the Banff Chamber Music Intensive and was a visiting lecturer at the University of Chicago. Coleman explains her music: “I’m not somebody who writes based on the intellectual side of composition, but rather on the side of addressing what it is within all of us. The shared qualities of human behavior, what feeds the soul, what identifies the issues or all the complexities within ourselves as human beings.” Coleman is known among educators to be a strong advocate and mentoring resource for emerging artists and ensembles around the country. In 2011, she created a summer mentorship program in New York City for highly advanced collegiate and post-graduate musicians called the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival. Now in its ninth season, the festival has welcomed musicians from over 100 institutions, nationally and abroad. Rubispheres is an ongoing trio series of chamber suites trios depicting urban life and landscapes, especially focusing on night club life. The first
three Rubispheres feature a trio of flute, clarinet, and bassoon in a set of hip, rhythmic, virtuosic movements dedicated to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and soulful song for Washington Heights at night, capturing the spirit of a Baptist revival. The opening movement, “DROM,” is named after the club where the piece premiered in December 2012. Reflecting the venue’s eclectic and experimental vibe, “DROM” is filled with rhythmically-driven virtuosic riffs that the ensemble members share with one another. With its introspective pace and rich sonorities, “Serenade,” the second movement, offers a break from the freneticism of the other two movements. Coleman describes how the music came to her: “I had a deadline to complete and found myself frozen, unable to generate ideas. Out of nowhere, my daughter (then two years of age) began to cry and motioned a demand to be lifted up into my arms. In the instant that she fell asleep, cradled in my arms, I freed a hand and reached out to the computer to correct a typo, but instead, the creative process turned on. While comforting her in one arm, the tenderness I felt for her in that moment suddenly created a headspace of unexpected serenity that allowed me to finish the movement — in one sitting with my free hand. Within a two-hour nap, the second movement of Rubispheres was written.” Coleman notes her creative aim for the third high-energy movement, ‘“Revival” brings the fervor of old southern baptisms held down by the river in juxtaposition with bebop. There is a spiritual renewal that occurs within a revival, full of shouts and dancing; the vigorous riffs and “punk-tuations” drench the old- school memory with a modern youthful sound. As doublings leap and shift within the orchestration of a simple composite melody, I felt motivated to transform woodwind instruments into a sound that is non-traditional, substantial, virtuosic and ALIVE!” BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging . . . Andy Akiho (Born in 1979 in Columbia, SC) Andy Akiho is an American composer of Japanese descent, who uses his knowledge of steel pan, classical music, contemporary classical music, steel drum, orchestra, string quartet, and percussion in his work. The only composer to be nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition category in both 2022 and 2023, Akiho, a Pulitzer Prize finalist composer, writes bold works that unravel intricate and unexpected patterns while surpassing traditional boundaries of classical music. He has garnered international praise
for his large-scale works that reinforce the natural theatricality of live performance. Akiho was the Oregon Symphony Orchestra’s 2022-2023 composer-inresidence. He has recently received commissions from the New York Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony, China Philharmonic, Guangzhou Symphony, Oregon Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Music@Menlo, the LA Dance Project, and The Industry. Akiho has received many awards including the Rome Prize and Lili Boulanger Memorial Prize. His compositions have been featured by organizations such as Bang on a Can, American Composers Forum, The Intimacy of Creativity in Hong Kong, and the Heidelberg Festival. An active steel pannist, Akiho has performed his works with the LA Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella Series, the Berlin Philharmonic’s Scharoun Ensemble, and the International Drum Festival in Taiwan. Akiho’s compositional trajectory has been untraditional, as he spent most of his twenties playing steel pan by ear in Trinidad and did not begin composing until he was twenty-eight. Akiho develops relationships with his collaborators as he writes for people, not instruments. Imani’s foundation, which includes the Legacy Commissioning Project, engaging composers of color to create works for wind quintets, commissioned BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging with support from the Concert Artists Guild Richard Weinert Award, the Imani Winds Foundation, and the Kaufman Music Center. The Imani members knew Akiho and were inspired by his social justice work in the country’s carceral system. The piece is an emotionally fueled tribute to the protesters that sheds some light on the shared humanity of everyone involved, detained or detainer. Akiho worked with the detainees to create interlocking rhythms in this through-composed piece. The music serves as a beautiful capsule and monument for the young men, their hopes, and their fears. It is both melodic and rhythmic. The piece had an unofficial debut at Riker’s Island, where Akiho workshopped it with five male participants, incorporating their insights and feedback as well as a recording of their rhythms into the final work. Designed to comfort, heal, and empower both the performer and the listener, the piece features elements of percussion and found sound, including the activation of one’s body, walls and floors, that are accessible to individuals who may not have instruments.
On, May 5, 2022, during the Ecstatic Music series, BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging had its world premiere at Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center, in New York City. It was credited as being jointly composed by Akiho and 2022 GRAMMY nominees and Kaufman Music Center Artists-in-Residence Imani Winds. Imani Winds, who commissioned it, gave its official premiere on October 26, 2022. Inspired by the sounds of protests in 2019 by immigrant detainees at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and growing from the idea of uniting detainees and facility staff through the positive shared experience of music, the piece was workshopped with a group of incarcerated young men awaiting trial at Riker’s Island. (The partnership with Rikers Island was created by the Center’s Director of Social Innovation, Claudie Mabry.) The Brooklyn protest was a reaction to the lack of heat in the detention center. This communal act of defiance of banging on cell bars inspired Akiho and the Imani Winds to use the protest as the impetus for creating the work, which evolved into a composition about the evils of incarceration. The sounds were poignant but also powerful, angry, and tremendously musical. The creators wrote, “With this project, we hope to honor the protesters and shine a light on the humanity of all involved in the holding of people’s bodies and souls. Music is one of the best vehicles for creating a positive shared experience, and an intentional communal event like this can be healing for everyone who takes part in it.” “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” . . .Billy Taylor arr. Mark Dover (Born July 24, 1921 in Greensville, North Carolina; died December 28, 2010) Billy Taylor, an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster, and educator, created spirited jazz selections that served as a soundtrack for the Civil Rights Movement. Taylor got his start in the bands of Ben Webster and Don Redman in New York. After time in Paris with the Don Redman Orchestra, he became the house pianist for Birdland, a New York jazz club, where he played alongside Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and other bebop figureheads. The Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, Taylor sat on the Honorary Founders Board of The Jazz Foundation of America, an organization he helped found
in 1989 to save the homes and the lives of America’s elderly jazz and blues musicians, later including musicians who survived Hurricane Katrina. From 1994 on he was also director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. In his lifetime, Taylor was awarded 20 honorary doctorate degrees, an Emmy Award, an NEA Jazz Master Fellowship, and a Peabody Award for his work with the educational program, Jazzmobile. In 1952, Taylor composed “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” as an instrumental jazz composition for his daughter, Kim. It became his most famous composition and was released as a song with lyrics by Dick Dallas. A version of this joyful, gospel-like song was later used as theme music for Film. . . review, a series on BBC Television. Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement adopted the song, with its stately melody and strong gospel roots, because it conveyed a message of peace and dignity. Mark Dover, the Imani Winds’ clarinet player, made the new arrangement It’s the first thing that Mark Dover arranged for the group after he conducted research into the Black gospel tradition.
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The King's Singers Lenard Chamber Music Series
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Monday, February 12, 2024, 7:30 pm University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts Alain Frogley, Interim Dean Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts Rodney Rock, Director presents
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PROGRAM All Mozart Program Overture Marriage of Figaro Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216 I.
Allegro
II. Adagio III. Rondeau. Allegro — INTERMISSION —
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550 I.
Molto allegro
II. Andante III Menuetto IV. Allegro assai
SOFIA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Christo Pavlov, Principal Conductor Founded in 1892 as Guards Symphony Orchestra, in 1938 after fusion with the Academic Symphony Orchestra transformed into Royal Military Symphony Orchestra, after 1945 the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra became the national orchestra of Bulgaria and has long established itself as one of the leading cultural institutions, representative of the overall contemporary musical culture of the country. The orchestra’s high artistic achievement is associated with the names of prominent figures such as Sasha Popov, Konstantin Iliev, Dobrin Petkov, Vassil Stefanov, Vladi Simeonov, Vassil Kazandjiev, Dimitar Manolov, Emil Tabakov, Julian Kovatchev, Nayden Todorov. Unforgettable in the chronicle of the Philharmonic are the
instances of co-operation with personalities such as conductors Bruno Walter, Hermann Abendroth, Kurt Masur, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Valery Gergiev, Yuri Simonov, Yuri Temirkanov, Igor Markevitch, Carlo Zecchi, Karl Österreichher, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Neville Marriner, Charles Dutoit, Marin Alsop, Frédéric Chaslin, Gianluigi Gelmetti and others. Soloists who have performed with the orchestra were David Oistrakh, Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Alexis Weissenberg, Dmitri Shostakovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Spivakov, Ruggiero Ricci, Ghena Dimitrova, Jose Carreras, Julian Rachlin, Placido Domingo, Sarah Chang, Thomas Hampson, Yuri Bashmet, Tabea Zimmermann, Elena Bashkirova, Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Sonya Yoncheva, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Maxim Vengerov, Svetlin Rоussev, Angela Gheorghiu, Vadim Repin, Paul Badura-Skoda, Joshua Bell, Dmitri Ratser, Elīna Garanča, Sharon Kam, Ivo Pogorelić, Martha Argerich, Viktoria Mullova, Mischa Maisky, Shlomo Mintz, Gidon Kremer and many more worldrenowned artists. The repertoire of the Sofia Philharmonic comprises works from the entire historically available range of music – from classical to contemporary opuses, including premiere performances of numerous works by Bulgarian composers. The orchestra has garnered substantial recognition all over the world. It has guest-performed with great success in the major musical centres across Europe (Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Netherland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, France, Croatia, Switzerland), Asia (China, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan), and North America, and has received frenetic acclaim even from the most demanding of audiences. The Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra was awarded many prestigious accolades including: “Musician of the Year”, “Golden Lyre”, “Golden Stave”, “Golden Quill”, “Crystal Lyre”, the Honorary Sign of Sofia, the Honorary Sign of the President of Bulgaria. From 2017, general director of the Sofia Philharmonic is maestro Nayden Todorov.
CHRISTO PAVLOV Since 2017, Maestro Pavlov is Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Sofia Metropolitan Orchestra and Choir (also known as Philharmonia Orchestra of Bulgaria). He was also Principal Guest Conductor of the Sofia Sinfonietta. Christo Pavlov has been guest conductor of many of the world’s leading orchestras including: The Czech Philharmonic, Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also enjoyed the rare opportunity of being invited to conduct at Austria’s legendary Golden Hall, The home of the Vienna Philharmonic.
He has been conductor or producer for several hundred productions for CD, film or game for many companies: BMG, HBO, National Geographic, Centaur Records, SPH, Stageone, Albany records, Fontec, Wildflower recordings, Summit records, Da Vinci, ERM Media, Sud Ovest Records are just the names of few. Many of the recordings won international prizes (including EMI’s illustrious golden award, in addition to ten Grammy nominations), For these various productions, he worked with many great musicians: Katia Ricciarelli, Jose Carreras, Fabio Armiliato, legendary film composer Lalo Schifrin, to name but a few. Christo Pavlov has also managed the production of hundreds of concerts and recording projects of the Bulgarian national opera, and has supervised and directed various concerts in the following countries: Bulgaria, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Malta, Israel, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, USA, Mexico, Brasil, Argentina, Korea, China, Lebanon, Malaysia etc. As conductor or player, he participated in world or national premieres of hundreds of pieces by different composers from all continents. Christo Pavlov takes part in many international music festivals throughout the world including Germany, Greece, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Bulgaria. Some of the great halls where he has conducted are Auditorio Nacional de Musica (Madrid), Palau de la Musica (Barcelona), Konzertsaal Philharmonie (Munich), Palau de la Musica (Valencia), and the legendary Dresden Kulturpalast.
LIYA PETROVA Liya Petrova is a First Prize Winner at the International Carl Nielsen Violin Competition 2016 in Denmark. She is praised for her “Effortless virtuosity” (The Strad), “Exceptional tonal variety” (Gramophone), and “Gorgeous sound – ripe and silvery; Phrasing with majestic breadth” (The Times). Liya won numerous prizes at international competitions such as the Concours International de Violon Tibor Varga, the International Louis Spohr Competition and the Vaclav Huml Competition among others, and at the German Music Competition which granted her admission to the list of Soloists of the DMR (Deutscher Musikrat). As a soloist, Liya has performed with many renowned Orchestras such as the Orchestre Philharmonique Luxembourg, the Filharmonie Antwerp,
the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, the Orchestre National de Belgique ,the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, the Sinfonia Varsovia, the Brussels Philharmonic, the Orchestre National Montpellier, the Staatskapelle Weimar, the KlassikPhilharmonie Hamburg, the Norddeutschen Philharmonie Rostock, the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra and others. She has worked with conductors such as Philippe Herrewege, Krzysztof Penderecki, Yan Tortelier, Nikolaj Szeps- Znaider, Christopher Warren-Green, Jesús López Cobos and Michel Tabachnik. She is also regularly touring in Japan which brings her to perform this season in over 20 cities in Japan. Her first solo album with the Odense Symphony Orchestra under Kristiina Poska, including Nielsen and Prokofiev first Violin concerto for Orchid Classic Label (2018) brought her international critical acclaim. In 2016 she received her second invitation to the concert series “Martha Argerich and Friends” with Martha Argerich, Yuri Bashmet and Mischa Maisky. Furthermore, she has collaborated with Ivry Gitlis, Renaud Capucon Augustin Dumay, James Ehnes, Nicholas Angelich, Frank Braley, Yuja Wang, Gerad Caussé, Autoine Tamestit, Gary Hoffman and Gautier Capucon in numerous chamber music projects. Amongst others, Liya has given guest performances at the Festspielen Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Rheingau Musik Festival, the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspielen, the Festival de Radio France Montpellier, the Festival of Menton and the Festival de Pâques of Aix-en-Provence. Liya Petrova was born in Bulgaria surrounded by a family of musicians. At the age of 11 she began her studies in Germany as a Young Student at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Rostock. After studying with Petru Munteanu there, Liya continued her studies further with Augustin Dumay at the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth in Belgium, Renaud Capucon at the HEMU in Lausanne, and Antje Weithaas at the Hochschule für Musik “Hans Eisler” in Berlin. Liya plays an outstanding instrument made by Carlo Bergonzi in 1737 in Cremona, on a generous loan from Xavier and Josephine Moreno.
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Artistic Director & Head, Department of Dramatic Arts Managing Director Associate Artistic Director Box Office Manager Interim Company/ House Manager Production Manager Production Stage Manager Technical Director Associate Technical Scenic Charge Artist Costume Shop Supervisor Production Master Electrician Puppet Arts Technical Supervisor Sound Supervisor Properties Manager
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ARTI, Hartford
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Serving the best pizza in Tolland County for 46 years 860-429-7433 Rt. 32, Willington Trading Center www.willingtonpizza.com
10% Discount w/tickets day of the performance only.
Award Winning Restaurant & Pub Brewery!
Willington Pizza Rte 32, Willington Center • 860.429.7433 Italian Cuisine served in a 200-year-old home with lovely antique decor. Seating for 200. National award-winning pizza featured on CBS This Morning and ABC Good Morning America. Desserts. Open Mon-Thurs 11am–11pm; Fri & Sat 11am– 12am; Sun 11am–10pm. Casual attire. Entrées $6–$13. No reservations. (MC, V, D, AE) Best Pizza, Tolland County by Connecticut Magazine.
Willimantic Brewing Co. Main Street Café Willimantic Brewing Company 967 Main Street Willimantic 860.423.6777 Willibrew.com
967 Main Street, Willimantic • 860.423.6777 The Willimantic Brewing Co./Main Street Café is a living landmark restaurant & pub brewery located in Willimantic, in the heart of rural northeastern Connecticut. We offer an extensive menu from fun appetizers, daily specials, gluten free, vegetarian and so much more. Fresh craft beers brewed on site, ciders, cocktails, and guest beers we have something to please everyone. Visit us at www. willibrew.com for more information.
Coyote Flaco Please Visit Our Website:
www.coyoteflacoct.com Order Online Order Gift Certificates
50 Higgins Hwy Mansfield, CT 860-423-4414
50 Higgins Highway, Mansfield • 860.423.4414 Coyote Flaco is a family owned & operated restaurant. We invite you to try some of our favorite dishes such as our churrasco or one of our home-made tamales. Please try our many “Fresh-Lime Juice” margaritas, our full menu can be found at www.coyoteflacoct.com
Stix ‘n Stones 1029 Storrs Rd, Storrs • 860.477.0975 Enjoy An Exceptional Journey of Taste Stix n Stones Marketplace offers fresh high quality food and baked goods, whether you are dining in or picking up to enjoy at home all prepared by Executive Chef, Sal Urso. Catering is available for all of your special occasions. Visit the Marketplace and find thoughtfully selected packaged foods, gifts and visit our floral shop. We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts.
Hilltop 39 Adamec Rd., Willington• 860.477.1054 Come and visit Hilltop Restaurant, Bar & Banquet to experience a delicious meal, live entertainment, full bar with flat screen TVs, and more, stop in today. If you’re looking for a place to hold a party or event, call and talk to us about our banquet rooms, Make sure that you call ahead to find out what our Chef’s Specials are. They change daily. hilltopct.net
39 Adamec Rd, Willington 860-477-1054 Our menu offers Traditional Italian, Prime Rib, Seafood Wraps, Salads, Apps, Brick oven pizzas and Sandwiches.
Fenton River Grill 135A Storrs Road, Mansfield• 860.786.7870 A dynamic and friendly bar and restaurant located near the University of Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut University offering an enticing selection of craft beer, carefully crafted cocktails and an approachable menu including lighter shareable plates, salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, and full dinners. Lively Bar, Cozy Atmosphere, Shareable Food, Outdoor Patio, Craft Cocktails.
Delicious food prepared from seasonal, fresh ingredients. Well-crafted cocktails and 20 beers on tap. Just 5 Miles from UConn 135A Storrs Road, Mansfield, CT 860.786.7870 fentonrivergrill.com
Dog Lane Cafe One Dog Lane, Storrs • 860.429.4900 Northeastern Connecticut’s European/American cafe, offering something for everyone from early morning to late at night. Our menu and our daily specials emphasize seasonal, local and freshly-prepared food, all made to order. Offering a wide variety of sandwiches, grilled items and freshly tossed salads or help yourself to coffee at our self-service coffee bar. Offering indoor and outdoor seating. Whether you are in a hurry or want to take some time and relax with friends, our style of service lets you set your own pace. Serving beer & wine. doglanecafe.com
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Daily Specials & Wine One Dog Lane, Storrs, CT doglanecafe.com
COME. SIT. STAY.
Beni’s American Bar and Grill 1280 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon Rockville 860.875.4443 Family and Locally Owned American bar & grill featuring fresh seafood, premium steaks, upscale pasta dishes, salads and sandwiches. Indoor, Outdoor, & Lounge Seating. Live Entertainment! Let Us Cater Your Next Event or Party. We have two banquet rooms available, accommodating 25 and 50 people each (or more!). Full and half trays are available for catering orders! Please allow us at least 24 hours of notice for large orders. Seasonal items, special requests, and some entrees require additional time. www.benisct.com
American Bar and Grill 1280 Hartford Tpke, Vernon CT - Exit 67 off 1-84 860-875-4443 • www.benisct.com Open Monday Saturday 11am-10:00pm Sunday 11:30am-9:30pm
restaurant & bar
39 Adamec Rd, Willington, CT Rte 32 Exit 69 off I-84.
860-477-1054 • www.hilltopct.net
Monday-Friday 11am-10pm • Saturday and Sunday 8am-10pm • Serving Breakfast Sat and Sun 8-noon
Enjoy a Fantastic Meal with Your Friends and Loved Ones Steaks, Seafood, Pasta Dishes, Salads, Burgers, Wraps, Brick Oven Pizzas and more. Open for dining indoor or on our beautiful patio Chefs Specials • Take Out Trays Banquet Facilities up to 85 guests Live Entertainment Fri and Sat Night Happy Hour Daily 3:30-6:30. Extended Lounge Hours
Weekend Breakfast
Exciting Coupons!
$10 off $75 • $5 off $40 Hilltop Restaurant, Willington
Not valid with any other offers or on holidays. One per table. Offer expires 4/30/24
Sat & Sun 8am-12 noon
Enjoy our Specialty Omelets, our Creative Benedicts, Belgium Waffles, Breakfast Burritos. $5 Mimosas and more!
Enjoy the Flavor of the Neighorhood Local cuisine expertly prepared by people who appreciate good food and honest value as much as you do.
We offer
Exceptional Seafood, Premium Steaks, Upscale Pasta Dishes, Daily Specials, & Speciality Martinis, Wines and many Select Beers. Pizza available for Take-Out!
Banquet Rooms for guests up to 50 or as allowed.
American Bar and Grill
$10 OFF $75 • $5 OFF $40
1280 Hartford Tpke, Vernon, CT • Exit 67 off I-84. 860-875-4443 • www.benisct.com Open Monday-Saturday 11am-10:00pm Sunday 11:30am-9:30pm
Not valid with any other offers or on holidays. One per table. Offer expires April 30, 2024
Beni's Vernon