FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 16, 2014 Midori in Concert with Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra and Young People s Chamber Orchestra on March 2 at Weill Hall Renowned violinist will spend one week in residence with SRS Youth Ensembles (SANTA ROSA, CA) The renowned violinist Midori performs in concert with the Santa Rosa Symphony s Youth Orchestra (YO) and Young People s Chamber Orchestra (YPCO) in Weill Hall at the Green Music Center on Sunday, March 2, 2014 at 3 p.m. Midori s appearance is a result of the Symphony s being awarded a weeklong residency with the artist from her Orchestra Residencies Program (ORP), a comprehensive community engagement and performance project. This prestigious 2013-2014 residency was one of only two awarded nationally. World Premiere by local composer on the program The Young People s Chamber Orchestra, directed by Aaron Westman, begins the March 2 concert with a World Premiere piece, Variations on a Theme by Björk, inspired by the Icelandic superstar and written for the ensemble by Ben Taylor, an accomplished composer and Santa Rosa Symphony s Director of Education. Midori performs Bach s Concerto in D minor for Two Violins side-by-side with YPCO soloists Emily Chu (first movement); Zachary Jorin (second movement) and Peter Duranceau (third movement). YPCO violist Aimee Gruen is featured in Brahms Adagio from the Viola Quintet in B minor. (See bios of all the SRS Youth Ensembles musicians at the end of this release.) Mendelssohn s Sinfonia No. 10 rounds out the YPCO portion of the concert. The Youth Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Richard Loheyde, performs the overture to Verdi s opera Nabucco; the finale from Tchaikovsky s Symphony No. 4 in F minor; and Mendelssohn s Concerto for Violin in E minor, featuring Midori as violin soloist. In addition, members of the Santa Rosa Symphony professional orchestra will join the young musicians for what should be a dazzling performance.
Tickets Single tickets are $25, $35 and $45. Call (707) 546-8742, purchase online at santarosasymphony.com, or come in person to the Symphony Patron Services Office at 50 Santa Rosa Avenue (north door entrance, off the elevator lobby), from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Saturdays of performance weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Concert Time and Location Midori in Concert with SRS Youth Ensembles takes place on Sunday, March 2, 2014 at 3 p.m. Performance is at Weill Hall, Green Music Center, Sonoma State University (Petaluma Hill Road and Rohnert Park Expressway). There is no additional parking fee for Santa Rosa Symphony concerts. Midori residency Midori will collaborate in a wide range of community activities in addition to rehearsing and performing with the SRS Youth Orchestra and Young People s Chamber Orchestra. Those that present photo opportunities for members of the press are starred. Wednesday, February 26 *10:00am Press Q&A Opportunity with Midori *10:15am Presentation at Cali Calmecac School 1:00pm Masterclass at Sonoma State University Thursday, February 27 1:00pm Presentation at Sheppard School *3:00pm Visit to Simply Strings program at Sheppard School 4:00pm Masterclass at Santa Rosa High School Saturday, March 1 Afternoon: Super Strings Day rehearsal: school strings programs and community string players of all ages are invited to participate in a fun experience of learning, sharing and music making together with their community and special guest, Midori. RSVP required to participate. *3:00pm Super Strings Day concert: Free public performance by a string orchestra of musicians from across Sonoma County, musicians of all ages, with special guest, Midori. Sunday, March 2 *12:00pm Panel Discussion & Masterclass: Challenges & Benefits for a Music Career The public may observe a free, moderated discussion at the Green Music Center with Midori and other professionals from a number of music disciplines as they address the unique qualities of a professional music career. Includes a short masterclass with Midori. 3:00pm Midori in Concert with the Youth Orchestra & Young People s Chamber Orchestra, performing as soloist on the Bach Double Violin Concerto and the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Additional press opportunities are available during orchestra rehearsals by arrangement. Please contact SRS Director of Education Ben Taylor, (707) 546-7097 ext. 220, for details.
Midori, brief biography The 2013-2014 season marks the 31 st year of violinist Midori s performing career. It also brings the release of two new recordings. Season highlights include her first performances in Iceland, India and Africa; the UK premiere of Peter Eötvös' new violin concerto DoReMi, written for Midori and scheduled for performance by one of its co-commissioners, the BBC PROMS, featuring the Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen; and an extended community engagement program in Myanmar in December. She will appear with James Conlon and the Montreal Symphony, the Louisville Symphony and Jorge Mester, and with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under Christoph Eschenbach. Midori is recognized as an extraordinary performer, a devoted and gifted educator, and an innovative community engagement activist. In recognition of the breadth and quality of her work in these three entirely separate fields, in 2012 she was given the prestigious Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum in Davos, was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and was awarded an honorary doctorate in music by Yale University. In 2007, she was named a Messenger of Peace by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In essence, over the years she has created a new model for young artists who seek to balance the joys and demands of a performing career at the highest level with a hands-on investment in the power of music to change lives. Named Distinguished Professor of Music at the University of Southern California in 2012, Midori works with her students at USC's Thornton School, where she is also Jascha Heifetz Chair and Chair of the Strings Department. Complete bio here. Youth Ensembles soloists biographies Emily Chu, violin Emily Chu started playing violin at four years of age. She also plays the piano and sings, but her main focus remains on becoming an accomplished violinist. She studies under Ivy Zenobi, and before that with Kathy Marshall and Linda Ghidossi-Deluca. Ms. Chu currently sings with the Santa Rosa High School choir as a freshman and has attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, where she majored in musical theater. She has played with the Santa Rosa Symphony s Young People s Chamber Orchestra (YPCO) since 4th grade, and the SRS Youth Orchestra (YO) since 7th grade. Ms. Chu recently joined the Young Person s Symphony Orchestra (YPSO) in Berkeley, CA with her older sister Caroline, and they are looking forward to touring together this summer at Carnegie Hall and Harvard University. Peter Duranceau, violin Eighteen-year-old Peter Duranceau is concertmaster of the Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra and Young People's Chamber Orchestra. He has held positions as a soloist, concertmaster, or principal with the Santa Rosa Symphony s Preparatory and Repertory Orchestras and the Santa Rosa Junior College Orchestra, and has performed with Sonoma State University s Chamber Ensemble and the San Francisco Conservatory as a Young Artists' Winner. Mr. Duranceau was the 2012 Etude Competition first place winner in Senior Piano and the 2013 second place winner in Senior Strings. Mr. Duranceau is the Organist and Choir Accompanist at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Rosa, where he also plays in the Chancel Handbell Choir. Mr. Duranceau began his musical studies at the age of six in the Santa Rosa Symphony Summer Music Academy violin class and the Move Over Mozart piano program. He continued studying piano at Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College. Mr. Duranceau currently
studies violin with Sarn Oliver, a first violinist with the San Francisco Symphony. Along with his musical interests, Mr. Duranceau also enjoys playing tennis. Aimee Gruen, viola Aimée Gruen is 15 years old and has been playing viola since she was eleven and piano since she was six. This is Ms. Gruen s second year as a member of the Young People s Chamber Orchestra and as principal violist in the Youth Orchestra. Ms. Gruen participated in the 2013 Bay of Hope Festival, in which five Bay Area youth orchestras came together and raised money for charity. She has also played with the Santa Rosa Symphony in its side-by-side program. Ms. Gruen currently studies viola with Meg Eldridge, previously studying with Richard Loheyde and Elizabeth Erickson. She also studies piano with Ann Boatright. Recently, Ms. Gruen participated in Sonoma State University s Student Repertory Chamber Music Recital under Marilyn Thompson. Ms. Gruen is a sophomore at Credo High School, and her ambition is to play and perform chamber music professionally. Her other interests include creative writing, reading, cosmology, philosophy and snorkeling. She lives in Sebastopol with her parents, her dog and her two cats. Zachary Jörin, violin Zachary Jörin was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1999. He has lived in Sonoma County since he was four months old and is currently a freshman at Maria Carrillo High School. Mr. Jörin has been playing violin for 7½ years. He began his violin studies at age 6½ with Jennifer Sills for two years, then studied with Dr. Richard Loheyde for five years, and now studies with Dawn Dover. Mr. Jörin is in his sixth year with the Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Ensembles, having previously been a member of the Preparatory Orchestra and concertmaster of the Repertory Orchestra. He joined the Young People s Chamber Orchestra in 2011 and served as Concert Master in the fall of 2013. Mr. Jörin is in his second year in the Youth Orchestra, serving as Assistant Concert Master. He attended the Suzuki Summer Music Institutes for several years and has attended the Sequoia Chamber Music Workshop for two years. Mr. Jörin is an excellent student and, in addition to playing violin, his hobbies include jazz dance, tennis and international travel with his family. CALENDAR LISTING What: Classical Concert Who: Guest soloist Midori, violin Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra, Richard Loheyde, conductor Young People s Chamber Orchestra, Aaron Westman, director Program: TAYLOR: Variations on a Theme by Björk, WORLD PREMIERE MENDELSSOHN: Sinfonia No. 10 in B minor BRAHMS: Adagio from Viola Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 Aimee Gruen, viola soloist BACH: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 Midori, violin soloist side-by-side with YPCO soloists: Emily Chu, First Movement Zachary Jorin, Second Movement
-INTERMISSION- Peter Duranceau, Third Movement VERDI: Overture to Nabucco TCHAIKOVSKY: Finale from Symphony No. 4 in F minor MENDELSSOHN: Concerto for Violin in E minor, Op. 64 Midori, violin soloist Date and Time: Sunday, March 2, 2014, 3 p.m. Venue: Weill Hall, Green Music Center at Sonoma State University (Petaluma Hill Road and Rohnert Park Expressway) Cost: Single tickets $25, $35, $45 Tickets: Online santarosasymphony.com, by phone 54-MUSIC (707-546-8742) or in person at the SRS Patron Services Office, 50 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Mitchell Director of Marketing and Public Relations 707-546-7097 ext.218 sara@santarosasymphony.com or Benjamin Taylor Director of Education 707-546-7097 ext. 220 btaylor@santarosasymphony.com