2017–18 Curtis on Tour Season Begins with Performances in Greece September 27–30, Latin America October 6–21

Concerts in Greece Revisit Gennadius Library; Roberto Díaz Leads String Sextet Through Latin America Including Home Country of Chile

 

PHILADELPHIA—September 21, 2017—Curtis on Tour launches the 2017–18 season with performances by students, faculty, and alumni in Athens September 27 to 30. A second tour focused on cities throughout Latin America runs from October 6 to 21.

The four Athens performances from September 27 to 30 are presented by the Schwarz Foundation and the Gennadius Library of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. These concerts feature works for solo piano by Ravel and Liszt; vocal selections by Verdi, Donizetti, Puccini, and Gershwin; and chamber works by Bruch, Mozart, Schumann, Bolcom, Bernstein (Conducting ’41), and others. Touring musicians to Athens include alumni Michael Rusinek (Clarinet ’92), Pallavi Mahidhara (Piano ’10), and Edward Gazouleas (Viola ’84), also a visiting faculty member; pianist Mikael Eliasen, artistic director of the Curtis Opera Theatre and Hirsig Family Dean of Vocal Studies; and student vocalists Elena Perroni, soprano, and Aaron Crouch, tenor.

The repertoire for the tour to Latin America includes works for string sextet by Kevin Puts and Johannes Brahms, and features the Grande Sestetto Concertante, an adaptation of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364. Curtis President Roberto Díaz (Viola ’84) will also perform the Sinfonia Concertante with Curtis violin student Andrea Obiso in a concert by Mexico City’s Orquesta Juvenil Universitaria Eduardo Mata. This tour marks the second trip Mr. Díaz has made to his home country of Chile with Curtis on Tour. In addition to Díaz and Obiso, the sextet comprises current students Maria Ioudenitch (Violin), Michael Casimir (Viola), Joshua Halpern (Cello), and Young In Na (Cello). Domestic engagements include a preview of the tour program on September 30 at Field Concert Hall in Philadelphia; and a performance on October 1 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. This performance marks the first of two appearances by Curtis on Tour at the gallery during the 2017–18 season.

Additional tours scheduled during the 2017–18 season include a United States tour to celebrate the centenary of alumnus Leonard Bernstein (Conducting ’41), from February 10 to March 18. Alumni David Shifrin (Clarinet ’71) and Dominic Armstrong (Opera ’09) perform with piano student Jiacheng Xiong and the Zorá String Quartet, Curtis’s quartet in residence. On February 11, this ensemble will also appear at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. as part of its touring activities.

Other appearances in Washington, D.C. include a November 19 performance by a student ensemble of Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio for the concert series What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow, presented by Washington Performing Arts and Smithsonian Associates.

Curtis on Tour will also bring the Curtis 20/21 Ensemble to Miller Theatre in New York in a concert featuring the music of composer in residence Chen Yi on December 2. Bernstein centenary events continue with a special performance of Bernstein’s rarely performed opera A Quiet Place by the Curtis Opera Theatre at Hunter College in New York on March 13, also as part of Curtis on Tour.

The Zorá String Quartet embarks on a European tour in May 2018.

All performances in Greece, the United States, and Latin America are part of Curtis on Tour, the Nina von Maltzahn global touring initiative of the Curtis Institute of Music. An embodiment of the school’s “learn by doing” philosophy, it offers students real-world, professional touring experience alongside celebrated alumni and faculty. In addition to performances, musicians offer master classes, interactive programs, and community engagement activities while on tour. Curtis on Tour also facilitates solo performances of Curtis students and alumni with professional orchestras and recital series. Since the program was established in 2008, students, faculty, and alumni have performed more than 200 concerts in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

View the complete 2017–18 Curtis on Tour season here.

 

CURTIS ON TOUR IN GREECE 2017

 
Elena Perroni, soprano
Aaron Crouch, tenor
Michael Rusinek, clarinet (’92)
Edward Gazouleas, viola (’84)
Mikael Eliasen, piano
Pallavi Mahidhara, piano (’10)

 

Recital by Pallavi Mahidhara, piano
Wednesday, September 27 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Cotsen Hall

 
RAVEL                  Miroirs       
LISZT                   Grandes études de Paganini

 

Thursday, September 28 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies, Cotsen Hall

 
Members of the Curtis Opera Theatre perform favorite arias and duets, including works by Verdi, Donizetti, Puccini, and Gershwin.

 

Friday, September 29 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Cotsen Hall

 
BRUCH                  Selections from Eight Pieces, Op. 83
CLARKE                Prelude, Allegro, and Pastorale for clarinet and viola
SCHUBERT           “Der Hirt auf dem Felsen,” D. 965
MOZART               Trio in E-flat major, K. 498 (“Kegelstatt”)

 

Saturday, September 30 at 8:30 p.m.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Cotsen Hall

 
SCHUMANN          Märchenerzählungen, Op. 132
BOLCOM              “Let Evening Come”
POULENC             Sonata for Piano Four Hands
BERNSTEIN          Sonata for Clarinet and Piano
BERNSTEIN          Selections from West Side Story

 

Nights of Classical Music at the Gennadius Library is presented by the Schwarz Foundation in collaboration with the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. For more information, visit www.ascsa.edu.gr.

CURTIS ON TOUR IN LATIN AMERICA 2017

Maria Ioudenitch, violin
Andrea Obiso, violin
Michael Casimir, viola
Roberto Díaz, viola (’84)
Joshua Halpern, cello
Young In Na, cello

 

TOUR PREVIEW: PHILADELPHIA

Saturday, September 30 at 8 p.m.
Field Concert Hall, Curtis Institute of Music

 
PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

For more information, visit Curtis.edu.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Sunday, October 1 at 3:30 p.m.
National Gallery of Art

 
PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

Presented by the National Gallery of Art. For tickets and more information, visit www.nga.gov.

 

MEXICO CITY

Friday, October 6 at 8:30 p.m.
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Sala Nezahualcóyotl

 
PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

Sunday, October 8 at 6 p.m.
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Sala Nezahualcóyotl

 
Program to include:

MOZART              Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364

Andrea Obsio, violin
Roberto Díaz, viola (’84)
Orquesta Juvenil Universitaria Eduardo Mata

 

Presented by Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. For tickets and more information, visit musica.unam.mx.

 

BUENOS AIRES

Tuesday, October 10 at 1 p.m.
Teatro Gran Rex

 
PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

Presented by Mozarteum Argentino. For tickets and more information, visit mozarteumargentino.org.

 

MONTEVIDEO

Thursday, October 12 at 8 p.m.
Teatro Solis, Zavala Muniz Auditorium

 
PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

Presented by Fundación Amigos del Teatro Solís. For tickets and more information, visit www.teatrosolis.org.uy.

 

SANTIAGO

Monday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Teatro Municipal de Las Condes

PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

Presented by Fundacíon Beethoven. For tickets and more information, visit www.fundacionbeethoven.org. Afina International is the supporting sponsor of Curtis on Tour in Santiago.

 

TALCA, CHILE

Friday, October 20 at 8 p.m.
Teatro Regional del Maule

PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

Presented by Teatro Regional del Maule. For tickets and more information, visit www.teatroregional.cl.

 

CHILLÁN, CHILE

Saturday, October 21 at 7 p.m.
Teatro Municipal de Chillán

PUTS                     Arcana
MOZART               Grande Sestetto Concertante (after Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364)
BRAHMS               Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18

 

Presented by Teatro Municipal de Chillán. For tickets and more information, visit www.teatrochillan.cl.

 

# # #