Musical Arts Series

“For a Quality Experience in Music…”

All concerts are at 7:30 in Fine Arts Recital Hall (“Little Theatre”) unless noted otherwise. There is no admission charge for concerts or masterclasses.

Wind Soloists of New York, with pianist Pedja Muzijevic

September 23

The Wind Soloists of New York brings together the leading wind players from New York City to perform the major works for winds from 4 to 15 players. The repertoire for the ensemble includes piano and wind works by Mozart, Poulenc and Beethoven, the wind serenades and divertimenti by Mozart and Beethoven as well as larger scale works such as Dvorak's Serenade for Winds, Mozart's Gran Partita and Strauss's Serenade for Wind Instruments.

Fireworks

October 10-11

Hailed as "the hottest classical band in New York," Fireworks draws on classical, rock, jazz, and world music traditions to create innovative, eclectic programs which combine masterpieces from an extraordinary range of styles into unified musical experiences. Recent engagements include Carnegie Hall, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Deer Valley Music Festival. Fireworks devotes a large portion of its time each season to outreach and residency activities.

D'Drum

November 8

Visual and Performing Arts Center

D'Drum is a five member percussion group from Dallas, Texas. Featured in an Emmy award winning PBS short film that documents their travels and observations as related to World Percussion, the group has performed and recorded extensively. D'Drum is heard in the National Geographic Film, "Lions of Darkness", in addition to the award winning PBS children's show "Wishbone". As in their live performances, their CDs features music derived from traditional cultures of Bali, Africa, Persia, and other locales that are blended with the influences of Western Classical and Jazz forms. All of the instruments featured on the CDs and in performance are acoustic, and of traditional and contemporary design.

Prism

November 18

Intriguing programs of great beauty and breadth have distinguished the PRISM Quartet as one of America's foremost chamber ensembles. Twotime winners of the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, PRISM has performed in Carnegie Hall on the Making Music Series, in Alice Tully Hall with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and throughout Latin America under the auspices of the United States Information Agency. PRISM has also been presented to critical acclaim as soloists with orchestras nationwide, including the Detroit Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra

Julianne Baird

February 1

Julianne Baird, soprano, has been hailed as "one of the most extraordinary voices in the service of early music that this generation has produced. She possesses a natural musicianship which engenders singing of supreme expressive beauty." She maintains a busy concert schedule of solo recitals and performances of baroque opera and oratorio. Ms. Baird has also appeared as soloist with many major symphony orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra under Christoph von Dohnanyi, the Brooklyn Philharmonic under Lukas Foss, the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta and, in the 2000-2001 season, the Philadelphia Orchestra. James R. Oestreich, in his comprehensive survey of New York's seasonal performances of Handel's Messiah for the N.Y. Times, recently concluded with special praise for Julianne Baird's interpretative skills: "in that respect, Ms. Baird remains the model".

Murray McLachlan

March 1

"Murray McLachlan is a pianist with a virtuoso technique and a sure sense of line. His timing and phrasing are impeccable, and his tone-full but unforced in the powerful passages, gentle and restrained in the more lyrical - is a perpetual delight" BBC Music Magazine

"Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy was so much more than an essay in Bravura. It showed McLachlan as one of the outstanding contemporary British Pianists in both technique and musical insight" Yorkshire Post

Step Afrika

March 8

Discover the world of stepping with Step Afrika! Like a tap dance without shoes, or a band without instruments, stepping is percussive dance that uses kicks, stomps, claps and chants – all linked to African and modern dance traditions. As the first professional company devoted to stepping, DC's world –renowned Step Afrika! brings' high-energy performance to the stage: a feast for both the eyes and ears.

"Electrifying talents" The Washington Post

Cuarteto Latinoamericano with Daniel Binelli, bandoneon

April 4

Formed in 1982, is known worldwide as the leading proponent of Latin American music for string quartet. This award-winning ensemble from Mexico consists of the three Bitrán brothers, violinists Saúl and Arón and cellist Alvaro , along with violist Javier Montiel. The Cuarteto has recordedmost of the Latin American repertoire for string quartet, and the sixth volume of their Villa-Lobos 17 quartets cycle, recorded for Dorian, was nominated for a Grammy award in 2002 in the field of Best Chamber Music Recording as well as for a Latin Grammy.