RASTRELLI CELLO QUARTET Performance Guide Arts Across Nebraska Tour 2009 Prepared for the student matinee performance at Midwest Theatre, Scottsbluff on October 22, 2009 Lied Center for Performing Arts 301 N. 12th Street P.O. Box 880151 Lincoln, NE 68588 0151 402.472.4700 administrative office 402.472.4747 box office 1
ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE GUIDE The mission of the Lied Center s education series is to inspire, nurture and sustain a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts. The Lied Center fulfills the mission by presenting outstanding artists that serve Nebraskans (local, University community and state wide) through performances, education and community programs. The student matinee series cultivates early appreciation for and understanding of the performing arts amongst our youngest audiences, with hour long, daytime performances by worldclass artists performing as part of the main season. Curriculum or performance guides, linked to the Nebraska standards, often accompany a student matinee series. ABOUT THEATER ETIQUETTE Be prepared and arrive early. Ideally you should arrive at the theater 15 30 minutes before the show. Allow for travel time and parking, and plan to be in your seats at least 15 minutes before the performance begins. Be aware and remain quiet. The theater is a live space you can easily hear the performance, but they can also hear you, and you can hear other audience members too! Even the smallest sounds, like rustling papers and whispering can be heard throughout the theater, so it is best to stay quiet so that everyone can enjoy the performance without distractions. The international sign for Quiet Please is to silently raise your index finger to your lips. Show appreciation by applauding. Applause is the best way to show your enthusiasm and appreciation. Performers return their appreciation for your attention by bowing to the audience at the end of the performance. It is always appropriate to applaud at the end of a performance, and it is customary to continue clapping until the curtain comes down or the house lights come up. Concentrate to help the performers. Performers use concentration to focus their energy while on stage. If the audience is focused while watching the performance, the artists feel supported and are able to do their best work. They can feel that you are with them! 2
ABOUT RASTRELLI CELLO QUARTET The Rastrelli Cello Quartet has been thrilling audiences with their renderings of non traditional programming since 2002. Kira Kraftzoff, Kirill Timofeev, Misha Degtjareff and Sergio Drabkine established the quartet in April 2002 in Stuttgart, and shortly thereafter recorded two tunes "The Melody" by Sokolov and "Rhapsody Tango" on the theme of Oscar Strock. After a number of concerts the quartet was invited by the company Ars Verona to record an album by Amphion Record. Their mission is to perform music between the genres, and their widely varied programs mix comfortably works by Bach, Frescobaldi and Dvorak with that of George Gershwin, Dave Brubeck and Chick Corea. The Rastrelli has performed in many of Europe s great concert halls, including the Gasteig in Munich, St. Petersburg s Philharmonic Hall, Bulgaria Hall Sofia, the Liederhalle Stuttgart and Philharmonic Hall in Minsk. In addition to concert tours in Europe, the USA and Russia, the Rastrelli performs at such summer music festivals as the Beethoven Festival Bonn, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Darmstadter Festspiele, Oberstdorfer Musiksommer, Hohenlohe Kultursommer, Ohridsko Leto (Macedonia) and the Meadowlark Music Festival. ABOUT WHY IS RASTRELLI CELLO QUARTET UNIQUE? The Rastrelli Cello Quartet is one of the most unique classical ensembles. Why unique? Their aspiration is to prove that it is possible to play any kind of music on the cello from baroque to rock. The ensemble's repertoire consists entirely of transcriptions; music not intended to be performed on the cello. Their goal is to make the listener hear the saxophone playing in "The Melody" by Sokolov, to make a ragtime battered piano sound in a silent movie, to let them hear Piazzola play the bandoneon again... ABOUT THE NAME RASTRELLI Why "Rastrelli"? Three of the performers were born in St. Petersburg (Russia), where they spent their childhood and student years, so they took the name of the genius Italian architect who was invited to build the new capital of Russia by the King some 300 years ago. ABOUT KIRA KRAFTZOFF Kira Kraftzoff was born in 1971 in Leningrad, USSR (now St. Petersburg, Russia). Aged 6, he started his studies at The Special Music School for Highly Talented Children of St. 3
Petersburg State Conservatory, under tutorship of Prof. Mark Reisenstock. He had his public debut at the age of 14 with the Orchestra of St. Petersburg Radio performing The Cello Concerto by A. Khatchaturian in The Grand Concert Hall of St. Petersburg Philharmony. In 1987, he took part in the All Russia Cello Competition, and was granted a diploma there. In 1988, he was the youngest finalist ever in the All USSR Cello Competition, winning a diploma and a special award for a most brilliant perspective. He continued his studies with the class tutored by Prof. Anatoly Nikitin at St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after Rimsky Korsakow, which he graduated with honors in 1994. On graduating, he was the assistant teacher of Prof. Nikitin's class for four years, as well as being a student of the legendary performer and composer Daniel Schafran. In 1993, he received the high distinction of representing St. Petersburg Conservatory in Mstislav Rostropovichґs first master class in Russia after his long exile. As a partaker of a student exchange program he came to Stuttgart, completing his studies with Prof. Peter Buck (Cellist of the "Melos Quartett") and graduating as a student laureate. ABOUT KIRILL TIMOFEEV Kirill Timofeev was born in 1978 in St. Petersburg. In 2001 he graduated from the St. Petersburg State Conservatoire, where from 1996 to 2001 he studied music and cello with Prof. Anatoly Nikitin. During the same period, he studied chamber music with N. Arzumanova as well as basso continuo and ancient music with E. Seredinskaja. Furthermore, from 2003 to 2005 he studied at the Music College in Stuttgart in the soloists class of Prof. Peter Buck. In 1997 he was the third laureate of the Pan Russian Cello Contest in Voronesz, in 1999 he took the first place at the Caltanissetta Chamber Music Contest (Italy) as the cellist of a piano trio. In 1998 he played in the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under Yuri Temirkanov, and in 1999 and 2000 he worked with the "St. Petersburg Soloists chamber" orchestra under the direction of M. Gantvarg. Kirill Timofeev gained valuable experience in the field of contemporary music by taking part in the various programs of the St. Petersburg institute of modern art "Pro Arte". He has successfully appeared in chamber ensembles and as a soloist at concerts and festivals in Europe, Russia and USA. ABOUT SERGIO DRABKINE Sergio Drabkine was born in 1953 in Polotsk (Byelorussia). He studied music at the Minsk State Conservatory. In 1976 he was a laureate of the National Cello Contest. After graduating, he became a leading cellist of the Minsk State Symphonic Orchestra. 4
He was also a member of the Byelorussia State Quartet, of the ensemble of ancient music "Cantabile" and of the Minsk Chamber Orchestra. In 1995 he moved to Germany, where he has performed in numerous German and international orchestras and chamber music ensembles. Since 1999 he is a member of the Wuerttemberger Kammerorchester. Sergio Drabkine has written arrangements for a number of famous musicians such as James Galway, Irena Grafenauer, Michaela Petri, Giora Feidman and the Wuerttemberger Kammerorchester. ABOUT MISHA DEGTJAREFF Misha Degtjareff was born in 1978 in St Petersburg. In 1985 he joined the cello class of Elena Dernova at the Special Music School of the St Petersburg Conservatory. From 1996 to 2001 he studied at the Conservatory under Prof. Anatoly Nikitin and his assistant Kira Kraftzoff. He performed at the Conservatory concerts and was a member of the St Petersburg Cello Ensemble directed by Prof. Nikitin. He has played in some of the main concert halls of St Petersburg, such as The Minor Hall of the Philharmonic Society of St Petersburg, the Capella, the Glazunov Hall and others. In 1996 he won a diploma at the Orel festival "Young talents of Russia", and in 1998 he was a laureate of the Hamburger Gartow Foundation's contest. From 1999 till 2001 he worked with the St Petersburg Philharmonic as well as lead cellist of the chamber orchestra "Divertimento". From October 2000 to June 2005 he studied with Prof. Peter Buck at the Stuttgart Musikhochschule. VIDEOS AND MUSIC Rastrelli Cello Quartett Take Five Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfk_y2dwwpc&feature=playlist&p=d67c19a1c649 0870&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=44 Rastrelli Cello Quartett Forrest Night Train http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt2mxecumo&feature=playlist&p=d67c19a1c6490870&playnext=1&playnext_from=pl&index=45 Rastrelli Cello Quartett Tchaikovsky Andante Cantabile http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol3ula4hemq&feature=playlist&p=281f979e0cd3 80DF&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=29 Click Below to hear the demo of several of Rastrelli Cello Quartett's Repertoir http://www.rastrelli.de/cgi bin/audio.pl?lang=en CONTENT STANDARDS IN MUSIC 5
Grades K-4 Music Performing, creating, and responding to music are the fundamental music processes in which humans engage. Students, particularly in grades K-4, learn by doing. Singing, playing instruments, moving to music, and creating music enable them to acquire musical skills and knowledge that can be developed in no other way Learning to read and notate music gives them a skill with which to explore music independently and with others. Listening to, analyzing, and evaluating music are important building blocks of musical learning. Further, to participate fully in a diverse, global society, students must understand their own historical and cultural heritage and those of others within their communities and beyond. Because music is a basic expression of human culture, every student should have access to a balanced, comprehensive, and sequential program of study in music. Grades 5-8 Music The period represented by grades 5-8 is especially critical in students' musical development. The music they perform or study often becomes an integral part of their personal musical repertoire. Composing and improvising provide students with unique insight into the form and structure of music and at the same time help them to develop their creativity. Broad experience with a variety of music is necessary if students are to make informed musical judgments. Similarly, this breadth of background enables them to begin to understand the connections and relationships between music and other disciplines. By understanding the cultural and historical forces that shape social attitudes and behaviors, students are better prepared to live and work in communities that are increasingly multicultural. The role that music will play in students' lives depends in large measure on the level of skills they achieve in creating, performing, and listening to music. Every course in music, including performance courses, should provide instruction in creating, performing, listening to, and analyzing music, in addition to focusing on its specific subject matter. Grades 9-12 Music The study of music contributes in important ways to the quality of every student's life. Every musical work is a product of its time and place, although some works transcend their original settings and continue to appeal to humans through their timeless and universal attraction. Through singing, playing instruments, and composing, students can express themselves creatively, while a knowledge of notation and performance traditions enables them to learn new music independently throughout their lives. Skills in analysis, evaluation, and synthesis are important because they enable students to recognize and pursue excellence in their musical experiences and to understand and enrich their environment. Because music is an integral part of human history, the ability to listen with understanding is essential if students are to gain a broad cultural and historical perspective. The adult life of every student is enriched by the skills, knowledge, and habits acquired in the study of music. 6
Every course in music, including performance courses, should provide instruction in creating, performing, listening to, and analyzing music, in addition to focusing on its specific subject matter. Content Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music Grades K-4 Achievement Standard Students identify simple music forms when presented aurally Students demonstrate perceptual skills by moving, by answering questions about, and by describing aural examples of music of various styles representing diverse cultures Students use appropriate terminology in explaining music, music notation, music instruments and voices, and music performances Students identify the sounds of a variety of instruments, including many orchestra and band instruments, and instruments from various cultures, as well as children's voices and male and female adult voices Students respond through purposeful movement (e.g., swaying, skipping, dramatic play) to selected prominent music characteristics or to specific music events (e.g., meter changes, dynamic changes, same/different sections) while listening to music Grades 5-8 Achievement Standard Students describe specific music events (e.g., entry of oboe, change of meter, return of refrain) in a given aural example, using appropriate terminology Students analyze the uses of elements of music in aural examples representing diverse genres and cultures Students demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions in their analyses of music Grades 9-12 Proficient in Achievement Standard Students analyze aural examples of a varied repertoire of music, representing diverse genres and cultures, by describing the uses of elements of music and expressive devices Students demonstrate extensive knowledge of the technical vocabulary of music Students identify and explain compositional devices and techniques used to provide unity and variety and tension and release in a musical work and give 7
examples of other works that make similar uses of these devices and techniques Grades 9-12 Advanced in Achievement Standard Students demonstrate the ability to perceive and remember music events by describing in detail significant events (e.g., fugal entrances, chromatic modulations, developmental devices) occurring in a given aural example Students compare ways in which musical materials are used in a given example relative to ways in which they are used in other works of the same genre or style Students analyze and describe uses of the elements of music in a given work that make it unique, interesting, and expressive Content Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances Grades K-4 Achievement Standard Students devise criteria for evaluating performances and compositions Students explain, using appropriate music terminology, their personal preferences for specific musical works and styles Grades 5-8 Achievement Standard Students develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of music performances and compositions and apply the criteria in their personal listening and performing Students evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their own and others' performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations by applying specific criteria appropriate for the style of the music and offer constructive suggestions for improvement Grades 9-12 Proficient in Achievement Standard Students evolve specific criteria for making informed, critical evaluations of the quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations and apply the criteria in their personal participation in music Students evaluate a performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing it to similar or exemplary models Grades 9-12 Advanced in Achievement Standard Students evaluate a given musical work in terms of its aesthetic qualities and explain the musical means it uses to evoke feelings and emotions 8
Content Standard 9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture Grades K-4 Achievement Standard Students identify by genre or style aural examples of music from various historical periods and cultures Students describe in simple terms how elements of music are used in music examples from various cultures of the world Students identify various uses of music in their daily experiences and describe characteristics that make certain music suitable for each use Students identify and describe roles of musicians (e.g., orchestra conductor, folksinger, church organist) in various music settings and cultures Students demonstrate audience behavior appropriate for the context and style of music performed Grade 5-8 Achievement Standard Students describe distinguishing characteristics of representative music genres and styles from a variety of cultures Students classify by genre and style (and, if applicable, by historical period, composer, and title) a varied body of exemplary (that is, high-quality and characteristic) musical works and explain the characteristics that cause each work to be considered exemplary Students compare, in several cultures of the world, functions music serves, roles of musicians (e.g., lead guitarist in a rock band, composer of jingles for commercials, singer in Peking opera), and conditions under which music is typically performed Grades 9-12 Proficient in Achievement Standard Students classify by genre or style and by historical period or culture unfamiliar but representative aural examples of music and explain the reasoning behind their classifications Students identify sources of American music genres (e.g., swing, Broadway musical, blues) trace the evolution of those genres, and cite well-known musicians associated with them Students identify various roles (e.g., entertainer, teacher, transmitter of cultural tradition) that musicians perform, cite representative individuals who have functioned in each role, and describe their activities and achievements Grades 9-12 Advanced in Achievement Standard 9
Students identify and explain the stylistic features of a given musical work that serve to define its aesthetic tradition and its historical or cultural context Students identify and describe music genres or styles that show the influence of two or more cultural traditions, identify the cultural source of each influence, and trace the historical conditions that produced the synthesis of influences For more information about the National Arts Standards visit http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/ 10