Tag Archives: River Rhapsodies

ASO Chamber Series Kicks Off Tonight with Brahms the Romantic

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra kicks off the 2013-2014 Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies Chamber Music series tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Clinton Presidential Center.

The program will feature Mozart’s “String Quintet No. 3 in C major, K.515;” Takemitsu’s “Rain Tree;” and Brahms “Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115.”

Mozart’s piece was completed in 1787.  Like all of Mozart’s string quintets, it is a viola quintet.  That means, it is scored for an extra viola: two violins, two violas and one cello.  Takemitsu’s selection was composed in 1982.  At that point in time, many of his compositions have references to water in the title.  Brahms composed his clarinet quintet in the summer of 1891.  The piece is known for its autumnal feeling (appropriate to be performed on one of the first full days after the autumnal equinox).  The selection is written for a clarinet in A and a string quartet.

ASO River Rhapsodies concludes 2012-2013 with APPALACHIAN SPRING

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20121020-054530.jpgThe Arkansas Symphony Orchestra River Rhapsodies concert series concludes the 2012-2013 season tonight.  With spring weather upon us, it is appropriate that tonight’s program is entitled Appalachian Spring.

The evening will include Crumb’s Voice of the Whale, Debussy’s Sonate en trio for Flute, Viola and Harp; ASO composer of the year Higdon’s Amazing Grace and Copland’s Appalachian Spring.  

Performing these selections will be Carl Anthony, piano; Carolyn Brown, flute; Daniel Cline, cello; Alisa Coffey, harp; Leanne Day-Simpson, violin; David Gerstein, cello; Eric Hayward, violin; Andrew Irvin, violin; Kelly Johnson, clarinet; Kiril Laskarov, violin; Susan Bell León, bassoon; Ryan Mooney, viola; Katherine Reynolds, viola and Barron Weir, contrabass.

The concert takes place at 7pm at the Clinton Presidential Center. A limited number of tickets are available at the door. But the concerts usually sell out.

Philip Mann is the music director of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

 

ASO Chamber Concert tonight features Composer of the Year

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ASO_2-colorAt tonight’s Arkansas Symphony Orchestra River Rhapsodies concert, ASO Composer of the Year Jennifer Higdon will be featured.

The program consists of Higdon’s Autumn Music and Piano Trio.  Also on the program are Barber’s Summer Music and Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 67.

The musicians for the concert include Diane McVinney, flute; Beth Wheeler, oboe; Kelly Johnson, clarinet; Susan Bell Leon, bassoon; David Renfro, horn; David Gerstein, cello; Kiril Laskarov, violin; Meredith Maddox-Hicks, violin and Tatiana Roitman, piano.

Higdon received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto, with the committee citing Higdon’s work as a “deeply engaging piece that combines flowing lyricism with dazzling virtuosity.”  She is one of the most performed composers today.  During her time in Little Rock, she has spoken at the Clinton School and been featured in last weekend’s MasterWorks concert.

The concert is at 8pm at the Clinton Presidential Center.

ASO River Rhapsodies tonight: The Rockefeller String Quartet

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Rockefeller Quartet

Baker, Reynolds, BeDell, Cline

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra River Rhapsodies concert series continues tonight with a program to celebrate the Rockefeller String Quartet’s 10th anniversary.

They will perform Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in D Major, Op. 44 No. 1; Glass’s String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) and Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D Major.

The concert takes place at 7pm at the Clinton Presidential Center. A limited number of tickets are available at the door. But the concerts usually sell out.

The Rockefeller String Quartet consists of Christian Baker, violin; Darby BeDell, violin; Katherine Reynolds, viola; and Daniel Cline, cello.

Christian M. Baker joined the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the Rockefeller Quartet in September 2004. Chris’s doctoral research resulted in the publication of a book: “Violin Artists & Pedagogues: Their Schools and Pedagogical Influences in Historical Perspective (VDM Publishing House, 2009).

Darby BeDell, a native of Illinois, is in his fifth season as a member of the Rockefeller Quartet, and he has regularly participated in summer festivals including, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, Weathersfield, and Vermont.

Katherine Reynolds joined the ASO as principal violist and a member of the Rockefeller Quartet in 2000. Katherine also holds principal positions in the Conway Symphony and the Pine Bluff Symphony.

Daniel Cline is currently a member of the Rockefeller Quartet, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and the faculty at Hendrix College. He is also a pilot, skydiving enthusiast, and runner – having completed six marathons.

Philip Mann is the music director of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

ASO River Rhapsodies Continues Tonight with DUOS

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Tonight at 7pm, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s second concert of the Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series will features duos of ASO Musicians. The concert will be held at the Clinton Presidential Center.

The program is an intimate showcase of the ASO’s musicians, in duo format and features ASO Associate Conductor Geoffrey Robson, co-concertmaster Drew Irvin, Quapaw Quartet members David Gerstein and Ryan Mooney, principal bassist Barron Weir, principal violist Kater Reynolds and violist Tatiana Kotcherguina.

General Admission tickets for River Rhapsodies concerts are $22, and Student tickets are available for $10. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ArkansasSymphony.org, over the phone at (501) 666-1761 or at the door.

The program will include

Mozart’s Duo No. 1 in G for Violin and Viola, K. 423 featuring Irvin and Mooney
Rossini’s Duetto for Cello and Bass featuring Gerstein and Weir
Frank Bridge’s Lament for Two Violas with Kotcherguina and Mooney
Kodály’s Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 featuring Gerstein and Robson

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 47th season in 2012-2013 under the leadership of Music Director Philip Mann. ASO is the resident orchestra of Robinson Center Music Hall, and performs more than thirty concerts each year for more than 42,000 people through its Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series, ACXIOM Pops LIVE! Series and River Rhapsodies Chamber Series, in addition to serving central Arkansas through numerous community outreach programs and bringing live symphonic music education to over 24,000 school children and over 200 schools.

ASO Chamber Series starts Tuesday, October 2

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra kicks off the 2012-2013 Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies Chamber Music series tomorrow night.  Violinist Augustin Hadelich joins ASO musicians on Tuesday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Clinton Presidential Center.

The program will feature Haydn’s “String Quartet in C Major, Op. 54 No. 2,” Webern’s “Langsamer Satz,” Ysaye’s “Solo Violin Sonata in E Major, Op. 27 No. 6” and Tchaikovsky’s “Sextet, Op. 70 ‘Souvenir de Florence.’”

In addition to Mr. Hadelich, the musicians will include Kiril Laskarov, co-concertmaster of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra; the Quapaw Quartet – consisting of Eric Hayward, violin; Meredith Maddox Hicks, violin; Ryan Mooney, viola; David Gerstein, cello – and the Rockefeller Quartet – consisting of Christian Baker, violin; Darby BeDell, violin; Katherine Reynolds, viola; Daniel Cline, cello.

Architeaser – April 16

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Yesterday’s Architeaser featured Byrne Hall on the St. John’s campus in the Heights.  The building currently houses the offices of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.  Yesterday the ASO concluded the 2011-2012 MasterWorks series.  This evening at the Clinton Presidential Center, this year’s final River Rhapsodies Chamber Concert will be held at 7pm.

This week we will look at some of the animals in Little Rock which are not at the Little Rock Zoo.