Internationally recognized Baroque violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock joins Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Ensembles
Internationally recognized Baroque violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock is the featured guest soloist for a concert of the two most advanced Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Ensembles on Saturday, March 4 at 3 PM at Weill Hall, Green Music Center.
Blumenstock, concertmaster of famed Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, joins Young People’s Chamber Orchestra (YPCO), directed by Aaron Westman, and 16-year-old YPCO musician Alex Chui in Vivaldi's Concerto for Three Violins, Strings, and Continuo in F major. Also on the program are Handel’s Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 6, No. 4, Respighi’s Ancient Dances and Airs, Suite No. 3, and Janáček’s Suite for Strings.
Following intermission, Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra (SRSYO), conducted by Richard Loheyde, with members ranging in age from 14 to 23, will take the stage. Concerto competition winners, Chiara Rackerby (16, oboe) and Shania Harsono (18, flute) perform with the orchestra for Handel’s Oboe Concerto No. 3 in G minor and the Allegro from Stamitz’ Flute Concerto in G major, respectively. Next is the evocative tone poem by Jean Sibelius, Finlandia. The afternoon ends with excerpts from Spartacus Suites No. 1 and 2, written by Aram Khatchaturian.
Tickets for this general seating performance are $15 Adults, $5 Youth, $10 Groups of 10 or more in advance. At the door tickets will be $20 Adults, $10 Youth. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.srsymphony.org, or by calling the SRS patron services office 707-546-8742.
Program at a glance:
Young People’s Chamber Orchestra
Aaron Westman, conductor
Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin
Alex Chui, violin
Aaron Westman, violin
VIVALDI: Concerto for Three Violins, Strings, and Continuo in F major
HANDEL: Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 6, No. 4
RESPIGHI: Ancient Dances and Airs, Suite No. 3
Janáček: Suite for Strings
Intermission
Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra
Richard Loheyde, conductor
Chiara Rackerby, oboe
Shania Harsono, flute
Handel: Oboe Concerto No. 3 in G minor
Stamitz: Flute Concerto in G major (Allegro)
Sibelius: Finlandia
Khachaturian: Spartacus Suites No. 1 and 2
Performer/Conductor biographies:
Widely admired as a Baroque violinist of expressive eloquence and technical sparkle, Elizabeth Blumenstock is a long-time concertmaster, soloist, and leader with the Bay Area's American Bach Soloists and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and is concertmaster of the International Handel Festival in Goettingen, Germany. In Southern California, Blumenstock is Music Director of the Corona del Mar Baroque Music Festival. Her love of chamber music has involved her in several accomplished and interesting smaller ensembles including Musica Pacifica, Galax Quartet, Ensemble Mirable, Live Oak Baroque, the Arcadian Academy, and Trio Galanterie. An enthusiastic teacher, Blumenstock teaches at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the American Bach Soloists' summer Festival and Academy, and the International Baroque Institute at Longy. Blumenstock plays a 1660 Andrea Guarneri violin built in Cremona, Italy, on generous loan to her from the Philharmonia Baroque Period Instrument Trust.
Dr. Richard Loheyde is Conductor of the Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Santa Rosa Symphony, conductor of orchestras at Credo High School, and the Summerfield Waldorf School. He teaches violin at Sonoma State University, and is Conductor of the Santa Rosa Symphony Family Concert Series. Dr. Loheyde also maintains a private studio where he teaches violin and viola to students across Sonoma County.
Aaron Westman is director of Young People’s Chamber Orchestra and co-directs the award winning chamber ensembles Agave Baroque and Live Oak Baroque Orchestra (LOBO). He has recorded for Hollywood, and on several labels, as well as live on many radio programs. Aaron is an alumnus of Santa Rosa High School, as well as the Santa Rosa and San Francisco Symphony's Youth Orchestra programs. He holds a Master of Music from the Indiana University School of Music, where he double-majored in viola performance and early music.
Young People's Chamber Orchestra is a string orchestra without a conductor. Designed to mold accomplished young string players into high-functioning musicians with complete attentiveness to detail and to each other within the context of the music, the Director trains the musicians to interact and collaborate on high-level music-making and nuanced performance. This is the first youth ensemble of its kind in northern California.
The Youth Orchestra is comprised of advanced students, 13-23 years of age, who have had previous orchestral training. Founded in 1959, it is one of the oldest orchestras of its kind in California and has performed in Carnegie Hall and Davies Symphony Hall, and has toured in Germany, the Czech Republic, and China. In June 2018 the group will tour to Salzburg, Vienna and Budapest. Music performed is from the standard symphonic orchestral repertoire.
About the Santa Rosa Symphony
Santa Rosa Symphony, the Resident Orchestra of the Green Music Center, is the third-oldest professional orchestra in California, and the largest regional symphony north of Los Angeles. Bruno Ferrandis, who began his tenure in 2006, is the fourth Music Director in the organization’s history. The Santa Rosa Symphony (SRS) is committed to core values of artistic excellence, innovative programming and community service. This year the SRS contributed over $4 million into the local economy.
Currently in its 89th season, the Symphony’s performance schedule includes 21 Classical Series concerts (7 sets), 7 Discovery Dress Rehearsal concerts, a 3-concert Family Series and a 4-concert Pops Series, as well as special concerts. The Symphony is also recognized for having one of the most comprehensive music education programs in California, serving nearly 23,000 youth annually.
Collaborations with schools and organizations across Sonoma County have gained SRS national attention and support. Awards include an American Symphony Orchestra League MetLife Award for Community Engagement and a first place award for adventurous programming in the 2012-2013 season from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
