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Chamber Orchestra’s Lincoln Debut Features Award-Winning Classical Guitarist And Former Florida Philharmonic and New Zealand Symphony Music Director
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA – The Lincoln University welcomes The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia for a special free performance of Mendelssohn / Villa-Lobos at its International Cultural Center, Tuesday, November 12 at 7 p.m.
The first of two Chamber Orchestra concerts at Lincoln – the second on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 – will feature Maestro James Judd at the podium and world-renowned classical guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villega. Set between Elgar’s popular Serenade and the melodic Swiss Symphony by Mendelssohn, Heitor Villa-Lobos’ captivating concerto brings a delightful Euro-Latin flavor to the program.
“The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia seeks to share the beauty, artistry and history of classical music with the Greater Philadelphia community,” said Dr. Robert R. Jennings, president of the university. “Our collaboration with the Chamber Orchestra both sustains and strengthens The Lincoln University’s mission. We look forward to hosting this world-class ensemble on our campus.”
Edward Elgar | Serenade in E minor for String Orchestra
Composed in 1892, Elgar’s Serenade was intended as a gift for his wife, Alice, on their third wedding anniversary. It is considered the precursor of a sequence of great English string orchestra works, including his own Introduction and Allegro, Vaughn Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, and Britten’s Frank Bridge Variations.
Heitor Villa-Lobos | Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra
Villa-Lobos – Brazil’s greatest composer yet – was known to not conform to anyone’s expectations. A prime example of this is in his Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra, which does not adhere to the traditional concerto pattern. The soloist enters just four measures after the orchestral introduction, unlike most classical concertos, which have a long, elaborate opening prior to when the soloist begins. Additionally, instead of the usual way in which the soloist and ensemble are seemingly engaged in a battle, the interplay between the guitarist and the orchestra is seen as more of an amicable, shared conversation.
Felix Mendelssohn | Sinfonia No. 9 in C major for String Orchestra
At fourteen years of age, Mendelssohn wrote his Sinfonia No. 9 in C major for String Orchestra – one of his thirteen Sinfonias written for string orchestra between the ages of twelve and fourteen. Encompassing stunning mastery at such a young age, the intricately written piece contains a solemn introduction, which later reappears and dominates a final movement that also features his interpretation of a yodeling song Mendelssohn heard on a visit to Switzerland.
Guitarist Pablo Sàinz Villegas is hailed by critics as one of the world’s leading classical guitarists. He has performed in the presence of the Dalai Lama and the Royal Family of Spain, and with numerous ensembles, including the Los Angeles, New York, and Israel Philharmonics, and the Boston and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras, among others. Mr. Sàinz Villegas was the recipient of Spain’s top classical music honor, El Ojo Critico, and won the Parkening International Guitar Competition, in addition to more than thirty other international awards. A champion and supporter of new repertoire for guitar, he performed the world premiere of Rounds, John Williams’ first work written for guitar. Pablo Sàinz Villegas is also the founder of “Music Without Borders Legacy,” a program that seeks to bridge communities across cultural, social, and political borders.
British-born conductor James Judd is highly sought after for his passionate musicianship and charismatic presence both on and off the podium. In addition to his time as Music Director of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Judd has also conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Royal Philharmonic, and Baltimore Symphony orchestras, in addition to many other prestigious organizations throughout his distinguished career. His recordings are featured on the Naxos, Decca, EMI, and Philips labels. In 2008, Maestro Judd founded the Miami Music Project in South Florida, which provides education, instruction, and performance opportunities for hundreds of children from diverse and underserved communities throughout the city.
While the concert is free and open-to-the-public, reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. Please note that all reserved seats will be relinquished 15 minutes prior to performance. For group seating, contact: Ursula Graves (484) 365-7434; For information on The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, please visit: www.chamberorchestra.org
Founded in 1854, The Lincoln University (PA) is the FIRST of four Lincoln Universities in the world and is the nation’s FIRST degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The University combines the elements of a liberal arts and science-based undergraduate curriculum along with select graduate programs to meet the needs of those living in a highly-technological and global society. Today, Lincoln, which enrolls a diverse student body of approximately 2,000 men and women, possesses an international reputation for preparing and producing world class leaders such as Thurgood Marshall, the FIRST African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Lillian Fishburne, the FIRST African American woman promoted to Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy, Langston Hughes, the noted poet, Kwame Nkrumah, the FIRST President of Ghana, Nnamdi Azikiwe, the FIRST President of Nigeria and a myriad of others.