2013-14 CONCERTS:
SUMMER MUSIC INSTITUTE & FESTIVAL AUG.9-25, 2013
08/10/13 – SS. Cyril & Methodious Church, Hartford – Three Sopranos: Janani Sridhar, Marie Ferguson, Jamie Marie Hatcher
08/11/13 – Tunxis Community College – Faculty Recital – Scott Hill, guitar, Melanie Chirignan, flute
08/16/13 – Tunxis Community College – Faculty & Student recital, Luiz de Moura Castro, Sivan Etedgee, piano, Miguel Vasquez, baritone, Bridget de Moura Castro
08/21/13 Mystic Art Center – Orchestra Concert
08/22/13 – Tunxis Community College – Opening of new building on campus – Orchestra program
08/23/13 – Tunxis Community College – Orchestra program, Opera: Dido and Aeneas, The Telephone
08/24/13 SS. Cyril and Methodius in Hartford, Piano recital, Orchestra: Grieg: Holberg Suite
08/25/13 – Mystic Art Center – Opera: Dido and Aeneas, The Telephone
08/17/13
CARL TANNER IN CONCERT
An Evening of Romantic Arias and Delicious Desserts
Westover School, Whittemore Rd., Middlebury
more info>>>
09/07/13
LUIZ DE MOURA CASTRO AND MEMBERS OF THE VIRTUOSI
SS. Cyril and Methodious Church, Hartford, CT
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 14, in E flat – major, K 449
more info>>>
10/19/13
“HOMMAGE A CHOPIN” – MOZART: REQUIEM MASS
SS. Cyril & Methodius Church, Hartford, CT 5:15 p.m.
CT Lyric Opera Chorus & Soloists, Connecticut Virtuosi, Adrian Sylveen, conductor
2013 Mozart Requiem (Audio) >>> • more info >>>
10/20/13
HERITAGE CONCERT SERIES – “FRENCH CONNECTIONS” CHOPIN – SAINT-SAENS – BIZET
Welte Hall, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT 4 p.m.
Saint-Saens violin concerto, Mov. 1 – Michelle Stern, violin
Bizet: Symphony in C major, Chopin: Concerto No. 1 – Neal Larrabee, piano
Saint-Saens Violin Concerto Mov. 1 (Audio) >>> • more info >>>
WAGNER: DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER (The Flying Dutchman)
Fully staged opera with the CT Lyric Opera
11/01/13, 7:30 p.m. Trinity-On-Main Arts Center, New Britain, CT
11/02/13, 7:30 p.m. MHS Arts Center / Middletown, CT
11/15/13, 7 p.m. Waterbury Palace Theater, Waterbury CT
11/23/13, 8 p.m. Garde Arts Center, New London, CT
Review from New London Day >>>
2013 CT Opera of the Year >>>
Richard Wagner Der Fliegende Holländer Overture (audio) >>>
Wagner-Flying Dutchman-Duet part 1 (audio) >>> • more info >>>
12/15/13
HERITAGE CONCERT SERIES – ANNUAL POLISH CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Welte Hall, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT, 4 p.m.
Moniuszko: Bajka (Fairy Tale) Fantastic Overture for Orchestra
Chopin: Variations on “Là ci darem la mano”, Op.2, Alex Tiratsuyan, piano
Christmas Carols with musical surprises with Polonia-Paderewski Chorus & Daniel Juarez, tenor
more info>>>
VIKTOR ULLMANN: DER KAISER VON ATLANTIS
(The Emperor of Atlantis or The Disobedience of Death) Fully staged opera with the CT Lyric Opera
01/25/14 7:30 p.m. Trinity-On-Main Arts Center, New Britain, CT
01/26/14 3 p.m. MHS Arts Center, Middletown, CT
02/01/14 7:30 p.m. Evans Hall, Conn College, New London, CT
more info>>>
HERITAGE CONCERT SERIES – BACH AND MOZART
02/07/14 7:30 p.m. Trinity-On-Main Arts Center, New Britain, CT
02/08/14 Feb. 8 p.m. Emanuel Lutheran Church, Manchester, CT
Bach – Brandenburg Concertos No. 3 and 5 Adrian Sylveen, violin, Jill Maurer-Davis, flute, Blake Hansen, harpsichord
Mozart – Violin Concerto in A-major, No. 5, K 219, Adrian Sylveen, violin
Mozart Violin Concerto no. 5 – 2nd mov, (Audio, Excerpt) >>> • more info>>>
HERITAGE CONCERT SERIES – KAROL SZYMANOWSKI STABAT MATER & VIOLIN CONCERTO
4/12/14 7p.m. Holy Cross Church, New Britain
04/06/14 6p.m. Saint Joseph Cathedral, Hartford
Szymanowski: Violin Concerto No. 2 op. 61 (04/12), Brunilda Myftaraj, violin
Szymanowski: Stabat Mater, op. 53 with the New Britain Chorale & Polonia-Paderewski Chorus
Jurate Svedaite, soprano, Heather Petri, alto, Maksim Ivanov, baritone
Schubert: Symphony No. 8, D.759 “Unfinished”
Brahms: “How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place” from “German Requiem” with the New Britain Chorale
Adrian Sylveen, conductor
Szymanowski: Violin Concerto no 2 op 61 Brunilda Myftaraj, violin (Audio, Excerpt) • more info>>>
GIACOMO PUCCINI: MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Fully staged opera production with the CT Lyric Opera
05/09/14 7:30 p.m. Trinity-On-Main Arts Center, New Britain, CT
05/10/14 7:30 p.m. Hyde Cultural Center, Woodstock, CT
05/16/14 8 p.m. Garde Arts Center, New London, CT
05/23/14 7:30 p.m. MHS Performing Arts Center, Middletown, CT
05/30/14 7:30 p.m. NVCC Arts Center, Waterbury
Review from the New London Day >>>
“Un bel dì” Jurate Svadaite Puccini Madama Butterfly (Audio) >>>
Entr’acte to act 3 Puccini Madama Butterfly (Audio)>>> • more info>>>
EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS:
10/17/13
9:00 – 10:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Gaffney School, New Britain
10:30 – 12:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Smalley School, New Britain
10/18/13
Farmington, Tunxis College, Open Rehearsal and lecture
11/13/13
Waterbury Arts Magnet School – Opera presentation – 2 sessions
12/10/13
Farmington, Tunxis College, Open Rehearsal and lecture
12/12/13
9:00 – 10:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Holmes School, New Britain
10:30 – 12:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Pulaski School, New Britain
04/03/14
9:00 – 10:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Jefferson School, New Britain
10:30 – 12:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Sacred Heart School, New Britain
05/28/14
Waterbury Arts Magnet School – Opera presentation – 2 sessions
CANCELLED DUE TO WINTER STORM 02/06/14
9:00 – 10:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Lincoln School, New Britain
10:30 – 12:00 Virtuosi School Concert, Smith School, New Britain
CRITICAL ACCLAIM:
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Narrative:
ARTISTIC MERITS:
In the 2013-2014 season, the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra refocused its energy on the core mission of the organization and achieved significant artistic success and critical acclaim for an extraordinary season of over 40 public performances. These performances (including orchestral, opera, chamber music, and choral performances) reached a sizable and diverse audience throughout the state of Connecticut, including thousands of elementary to college-age students through the Virtuosi’s in-school presentations.
The orchestra performed an exceptional repertoire of music by Karol Szymanowski, Viktor Ullmann, Richard Wagner, Puccini, Chopin, Moniuszko, Saint-Saens, Schubert, Mozart, Bach, and others, and featured internationally acclaimed soloists such as pianist Neal Larrabee, Brunilda Myftaraj (Virtuosi Concertmaster), extraordinary young soloists: Michelle Stern, violin, Alex Tiratsuyan, piano, and international opera stars Jurate Svadaite, Steve Fredericks, Daniel Juarez, to name just a few.
Some highlights from the 2013-2014 performance season included the performance of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, which had its premiere in New Britain on Friday, November 1, 2013, and was later named Connecticut’s Opera Production of the Year by the New London Day.
The Virtuosi presented only the third performance in the United States of Violin Concerto No. 2 by important Polish composer Karol Szymanowski (according to the publisher’s records), Virtuosi Concertmaster Brunilda Myftaraj was the exceptional soloist in that performance which also included the rarely performed Szymanowski Stabat Mater.
The Virtuosi’s May 2014 opera presentation of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly was sold out in its premiere performance at Trinity-on-Main, as well as in Middletown, and was attended by more than 1,000 audience-members in New London and Waterbury. It was praised as “most satisfying, and at times deeply moving,” in a glowing review by classical music critic Milton Moore.
The Virtuosi fulfilled the educational component of its mission by offering a range of educational programs to the community; including its series of in-school performances, the Virtuosi Youth Ensemble, the year-round Virtuosi Academy, and the Virtuosi Summer Institute and Festival.
The 2013-2014 in-school performance series consisted of six performances in New Britain elementary schools (eight were originally scheduled, with two cancelled due to winter weather), two days of two opera presentations (total of 4) for Waterbury Arts Magnet School, and 2 open rehearsals at Tunxis College. These performances were well received by both students and teachers, leaving them inspired and encouraged to pursue music. Of particular note was the wonderful interaction in October between 9-year old violinist Michelle Stern and the Gaffney and Smalley elementary school students, who were impressed to meet a peer with such incredibly well-developed musical ability.
YOUTH ENSEMBLE:
Directed by the Virtuosi concertmaster, Brunilda Myftaraj, the Virtuosi Youth Ensemble started in October of 2013 through an open audition. The audition attracted students from Farmington, Bristol and New Britain. Weekly rehearsals of the Youth Ensemble were free, and the fee for one-on-one lessons for students from New Britain school system was reduced by approximately 50%.
The Virtuosi Youth Ensemble met weekly on Saturday mornings throughout the school year at Tunxis Community College, and prepared two programs during the 13/14 school year:
The first program was performed in collaboration with the Eastern CT Youth Symphony Orchestra based in New London, CT. The program included Bach’s Brandenburg concerto no. 5, and Leopold Mozart’s symphony in d-minor. Performances took place in January 2014 in Mystic, and in Hartford, at the historic SS. Cyril and Methodius Church (both venues were made available to us free of charge, and provided publicity and support for the program.)
In May 2014 the Youth Ensemble gave a second performance with members of the Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra at SS. Cyril and Methodius Church. The combined orchestra presented the famous “Clock” Symphony by Joseph Haydn. Fragments of the recorded performance are available at the School’s website.
During the last year we have learned valuable lessons regarding the youth orchestra/ensemble. The program will continue next season as a regional group available to communities of Central CT. While we will make an effort to publicize the program with the New Britain Schools, the program will be independent from any school system and will be continue to be presented at Tunxis community college.
ADMINISTRATION:
The Virtuosi has hired Mr. Matthew Burry for the position of the Executive Director. It his position Mr. Burry is responsible for maintaining the financial stability of the of the Virtuosi. In his first year he brought 2 new grants to the Virtuosi, and spent his first year learning the structure of operation and funding of the Virtuosi.