Archive for Violin

Ensemble Made in Canada’s Mosaïque Project ~ 14 New Works Celebrate the Beauty & Diversity of Canada

Posted by shiragilbert on
 January 24, 2020
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Piano quartet Ensemble Made In Canada’s acclaimed Mosaïque Project is a massive musical initiative inspired by the diversity and richness of Canada’s culture and geography. Since its premiere in July of 2018, the commissioned suite of new works by 14 Canadian composers has reached almost every corner of the country – from Iqaluit, Nunavut to British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast to Pouch Cove, Newfoundland, and beyond. Featuring thrilling new works from a diverse array of composers and genres – from classical, jazz, singer-songwriter, electronic, and First Nations traditions – the Mosaïque Project culminates in a special livestream event and album launch on Friday, January 24 at 7:30 pm.

Violinist Elissa Lee, pianist Angela Park, violist Sharon Wei, and cellist Rachel Mercer gained new perspectives throughout their travels, seeing first-hand the truly awesome nature and culture of the country, which had inspired the Mosaïque composers: “We never imagined the transformation we would experience, working so closely with local artists, teachers and music lovers across Canada. Now that this music is part of the fabric of our ensemble, we are so excited to share this recording and journey of discovery with you.”

Learn about the Mosaïque composers and their works: https://www.ensemblemadeincanada.com/mosaique-project/artists-2/

On Friday, January 24 at 7:30 pm, the Mosaïque Project will be presented in an extraordinary cinematic  concert experience from FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines, featuring multiple screens providing close-ups of the musicians and their instruments, footage from the tour across the country, as well as newly-created images inspired by the music. The concert will be live streamed on Ensemble Made In Canada’s website and Facebook page as well as via the streaming service Stingray Classica, reaching millions across Canada and 156 countries around the globe. 

The Mosaïque album is available online and on all streaming platforms starting January 24. 

Order on iTunes here; CDs may be purchased at www.ensemblemadeincanada.com

First Canadian appearance of the Violins of Hope

Posted by shiragilbert on
 October 9, 2019
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The Montreal Holocaust Museum, in collaboration with the Orchestre Métropolitain, present The Violins of Hope, a concert under the direction of the internationally-renowned Dutch conductor Vincent De Kort. Following select performances in Europe and the United States, the Violins of Hope will be played for the first time in Canada by musicians of the Orchestre Métropolitain at Maison symphonique de Montréal, Place des Arts on Saturday, November 2nd at 7:30 pm. 

The Violins of Hope are a collection of more than 70 string instruments restored by Israelimaster luthier Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom Weinstein. These violins were owned by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust and have survived pogroms, concentration camps, and the passage of time. They now represent stories ofinjustice, suffering, resilience and survival. Eight of these precious violins will travel to Montreal for the concert on November 2nd.

“My mission is to get hold of any violin that has been rescued from the Holocaust, to repair it and to make it into a concert violin. I want these violins to be played, to have their voices heard and have their say, because these violins have a very particular sound:  voices, weeping, laughter and prayers escape,” stated Amnon Weinstein.

The November 2nd concert will be both a tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and to the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands by the Canadian Armed Forces. Between October 2 and November 8, 1944, the First Canadian Army fought the Nazi forces installed on the banks of the Scheldt River, thereby liberating the port of Antwerp and saving the lives of thousands of Dutch citizens. Access to this port was essential for supplying the Allies and facilitating their advance to defeat Adolf Hitler’s forces and liberate Europe.

The Violins of Hope offer a unique and moving program including works by J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Jocelyn Morlock, as well as the premiere of Children’s War Diaries by Canadian composer Jaap Nico Hamburger. The new chamber symphony by Hamburger, this year’s Mécénat Musica Composer in Residence, was inspired by a compilation of diaries of teenagers murdered during the war, as well as a visit to the Children’s Memorial at Yad Vashem. Cantorial music in honour of Holocaust victims will be performed by soprano Sharon Azrieli and tenor Gideon Zelermyer. 

The Montreal Holocaust Museum educates people of all ages and backgrounds about the Holocaust, while sensitising the public to the universal perils of antisemitism, racism, hate and indifference. Through its Museum, its commemorative programs and educational initiatives, the Montreal Holocaust Museum promotes respect for diversity and the sanctity of human life.

Premier concert des Violons de l’Espoir au Canada

Le Musée de l’Holocauste Montréal, en collaboration avec l’Orchestre Métropolitain, présente Les Violons de l’Espoir, un concert sous la direction du grand maestro néerlandais Vincent de Kort. Après l’Europe et les États-Unis, Les Violons de l’Espoir seront présentés pour la première fois au Canada grâce aux musiciens de l’Orchestre Métropolitain à la Maison symphonique de Montréal, Place des Arts, le samedi 2 novembre à 19h30.

Les Violons de l’Espoir sont une collection de plus de 70 instruments à cordes restaurés par le maître luthier israélien Amnon Weinstein et son fils Avshalom. Ces violons qui appartenaient à des musiciens juifs avant et durant l’Holocauste ont résisté aux pogroms, aux camps de concentration et à l’usure du temps pour raconter des histoires d’injustice, de souffrance, de résilience et de survie. Huit de ces violons précieux se rendront à Montréal pour le concert du 2 novembre.

« … Je veux que ces violons soient joués, qu’ils fassent entendre ce qu’ils ont à dire. Car de ces violons sort un son très particulier, s’échappent des voix, des pleurs, des rires et des prières, » dit Amnon Weinstein.

Ce concert est offert en hommage aux victimes del’Holocauste et à l’occasion du 75e anniversaire de la libération des Pays-Bas par les Forces armées canadiennes. Entre le 2 octobre et le 8 novembre 1944, la 1er Armée canadienne combattit les forces nazies installées sur les berges de la rivière Escaut et libéra par le fait même le port d’Anvers. L’accès à ce port était essentiel pour le ravitaillement des Alliés et pour faciliter leur avancée en vue de défaire les forces d’Adolf Hitler et de libérer l’Europe.

Cet événement offre un programme unique et émouvant comprenant des œuvres de J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Jocelyn Morlock, ainsi que la première de Journaux de guerre d’enfants du compositeur canadien, Jaap Nico Hamburger. La nouvelle symphonie de chambre de Hamburger, compositeur en résidence Mécénat Musica de cette année, s’inspire d’une compilation de journaux intimes d’adolescents assassinés pendant la guerre, ainsi que d’une visite au Mémorial des enfants de Yad Vashem. La soprano, Sharon Azrieli et le ténor, Gideon Zelermyer offriront des chants cantoriaux en l’honneur des victimes de la guerre. 

Le Musée de l’Holocauste Montréal informe et sensibilise les publics sur l’Holocauste, ainsi que sur l’antisémitisme, le racisme, la haine et les dangers de l’indifférence. Par son exposition permanente, ses programmes commémoratifs et ses initiatives éducatives, le Musée fait la promotion de notre responsabilité collective à l’égard du respect de la diversité et du caractère sacré de toute vie humaine.

Violinist Roman Mints Releases a New Exploration of Hindemith’s Works for Violin & Piano

Posted by shiragilbert on
 March 29, 2019
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Possessing a passion for the avant-garde and an extraordinary creative energy, Roman Mints is considered one of the most original musicians of his generation. The acclaimed Russian violinist is joined by Van Cliburn International Piano Competition winner Alexander Kobrin for a new recording of Hindemith’s Complete Works for Violin and Piano, available from Quartz Music on April 5, 2019.

A longtime champion of of contemporary composers, Roman Mints’s deep appreciation for the works of Paul Hindemith began when he was a young violinist, studying in Moscow in the 1980s: “This music, written not just before I was born but closer to the time of my grandparents’ birth, felt completely contemporary, and daringly advanced in its sound … From the time I put Sonata in D on the stand, I was gripped by the first subject, constructed from seconds and sevenths, marked to be played with stony defiance. I was never the same again and Hindemith became my window into contemporary music.”

First and foremost a violinist and a violist himself, Hindemith’s four violin sonatas span the composer’s lifetime, offering an overview of his stylistic influences, from the German Late Romantics to polytonality and atonality, to his own eclectic, personal style intergrating Baroque and Classical elements. Also included in this survey are the the Kleine Sonata for viola d’amore and piano and Trauermusik, written in just one day in honor of the death of King George. Reflecting upon this new recording with Alexander Korbin, Mints said, “We had drawn the portrait of a man whose wildness hid a tender side, whose severity concealed humour, and behind whose crustiness there lay a capacity for ecstasy. I began to understand how he had resonated with me as a 13-year-old, and why he continues to hold a special place in my heart.”

Most recently for Quartz Music, Roman Mints released an album of music by the contemporary Russian composer Leonid Desyatnikov, which received a 5-star review in BBC Music Magazine and Audiophile Audition called “some of the most interesting music you’ve never heard of.” Also for Quartz Music, Roman Mints released an album of works for violin and piano by Alfred Schnittke, which the San Francisco Chronicle called “a thrilling reminder of the eloquence this composer … superb performances from Mints and [Katya] Apekisheva.” The New York Times called his previous release, Dance of Shadows, an innovative program of music by Ysaÿe, Piazzolla, and Schnittke, as well as a premiere by Dobrinka Tabakova “fascinating and technically brilliant,” while Strings Magazine called the recital “a thing of haunting beauty and magic.”

ROMAN MINTS was born in Moscow and began playing the violin at the age of five. In 1994, Mints won a Foundation Scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London and also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, winning prizes at each, alongside contemporaries Dobrinka Tabakova, Elena Langer, Maxim Rysanov, and Kristina Blaumane. Along with championing the work of Leonid Desyatnikov, Mints has given the Russian premieres of works by Golijov, Tavener, MacMillan, Mozetich and world premieres of over fifty works including compositions from Tabakova, Bennett, Langer, Finnissy, Irvine and others. He has worked alongside conductors Andrew Davis, Saulius Sondeckis, Vladimir Ziva, Vladimir Ponkin, and Philipp Chizhevsky, amongst others. Mints has performed with such prominent groups as London Mozart Players, London Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Musica Viva Orchestra, Russian Philharmonia, Kremerata Baltica, Prague Soloists and Prague Sinfonia. In 1998, alongside oboist Dmitry Bulgakov, he founded the Homecoming Chamber Music Festival which takes place annually in Moscow. Mints’s previous recordings also include the Grammy-nominated String Paths for ECM, and releases for the Black Box and Harmonia Mundi labels.  Roman Mints plays a Francesco Ruggieri violin, circa 1685.

Pianist ALEXANDER KOBRIN’s prize-winning performances have been praised for their brilliant technique, musicality and emotional engagement with the audience. In 2005, Alexander Kobrin was awarded the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Gold Medal at the Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth. His numerous successes in competitions also include top prizes at the Busoni, Hamamatsu, and Scottish International Piano Competitions. Kobrin has performed with many of the world’s great orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic, Russian National Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic, English Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Verdi, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, among many others, with conductors including Mikhail Pletnev, Mikhail Jurovsky, James Conlon, Vassiliy Petrenko and Yuri Bashmet. His piano recitals have been heard in major halls worldwide, including Avery Fisher Hall in New York, the Kennedy Centre in Washington, the Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall in London, Louvre Auditorium, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire, Sala Verdi in Milan, and annual concert tours in Japan, China and Taiwan. His recordings can be heard on the Harmonia Mundi, Quartz, and Centaur labels.

ROMANMINTS.COM                    QUARTZMUSIC.COM

 

 

World Premiere Recording of Desyatnikov’s Sketches to Sunset Featuring Acclaimed Violinist Roman Mints

Posted by shiragilbert on
 April 12, 2017
  · No Comments

Quartz Music presents a new album featuring the mesmerizing and deeply beautiful music of Leonid Desyatnikov, one of today’s most treasured and frequently-performed living Russian composers, and including the world premiere recording of the 1992 work Sketches to Sunset, and the Russian Seasons. Supervised by the composer, the new recording features renowned violinist Roman Mints with the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Philipp Chizhevsky. This new release follows Roman Mints’s recent albums for Quartz – Dance of Shadows and a double-album of works by Alfred Schnittke – which have been widely critically-acclaimed.

Roman Mints, a long time champion of the work of the composer, comments, “Leonid Desyatnikov creates a unique world in which you can find a place for both your heart and your mind. His sparkling intellect lets him set off in a single stroke an explosion of associations and ideas.” Both works on the new recording are being staged by choreographer Alexei Ratmansky at New York City Ballet this spring.

This is the first-ever symphonic recording of Desyatnikov’s Sketches to Sunset, also featuring pianist Alexey Goribol. Based on Desyatnikov’s music for Alexander Zeldovich’s film Sunset, after Isaac Babel, the story is based in pre-revolution Odessa and is full of Biblical references, including movements with titles such as “The Death of Absalom” and “Lot’s Daughter,” as well as “Take Five and Seven,” and “Jewish Lambada.” “It was my first encounter with Desyatnikov’s amazing manner of being serious and wicked at the same time,” says Mints, “Laughing through tears, irony, and self-irony.”

The Russian Seasons contains twelve movements, all based on Russian folk tunes and texts, with five of them featuring vocals by Yana Ivanilova. Here, Desyatnikov shows off his entire musical palette, from Du Fay to Piazzolla. While the instrumental movements feature moments of joy and merriment, utter hopelessness dominates the vocal movements, in which the composer addresses listeners directly in words. “Swaying Song” talks about an unloved old husband; “Whit Monday Song,” about a lover who did not return from a war; “Fasting Song,” about a soul that has not been admitted to heaven; and “Wedding Song,” about a maiden who does not have too long to cry and, consequently, live. “While working on Desyatnikov’s music,” says Mints, “I often wonder why there are so many sunsets, so much fading and hopelessness, which are more apparent to Russian listeners than western listeners. I think I have found the answer. We live in a country where it is always the same time of year, and it is always sunset. But the glow from the sunset sparkles beautifully against the clouds.”

A major figure in post-World War II Russian music, LEONID DESYATNKIOV was born in 1955 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He has written four operas and numerous vocal and instrumental compositions. His principal works include an opera The Children of Rosenthal; ballets Lost Illusions and Opera; a chamber opera Poor Liza; Gift, a cantata; Liebe und Leben des Dichters, a vocal cycle; The Leaden Echo for voice(s) and instruments on the poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins and The Rite of Winter 1949, a symphony for choir, soloists and orchestra. His works have been commissioned by the Bolshoi Theatre and La Scala. He has collaborated with Gidon Kremer to write Wie der Alte Leiermann; the chamber version of Sketches to Sunset; as well as arranging the works of Astor Piazzolla, including the tango-operita María de Buenos Aires and the tango suite Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas. An award-winning composer for film and amongst his scores are those for Sunset, Lost in Siberia, Moscow Nights, Hammer and Sickle, Giselle’s Mania, His Wife’s Diary, The Prisoner of the Mountains, Moscow and Target.

Last spring, also on Quartz Music, Roman Mints released an album of works for violin and piano by Alfred Schnittke which the San Francisco Chronicle called “a thrilling reminder of the eloquence this composer could wring from even the most aggressively dissonant material … and all elicit superb performances from Mints and [Katya] Apekisheva.” The New York Times called his previous release, Dance of Shadows, an innovative program of music by Ysaÿe, Piazzolla, and Schnittke, as well as a premiere by Dobrinka Tabakova “fascinating and technically brilliant,” while Strings Magazine called the recital “a thing of haunting beauty and magic.”

ROMAN MINTS was born in Moscow and began playing the violin at the age of five. In 1994, Roman won a Foundation Scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London and also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, winning prizes at each, alongside contemporaries Dobrinka Tabakova, Elena Langer, Maxim Rysanov, and Kristina Blaumane. Along with championing the work of Leonid Desyatnikov, Mints has given the Russian premieres of works by Tavener, MacMillan, Mozetich and world premieres of over fifty works including compositions from Tabakova, Bennett, Langer, Finnissy, Irvine and others. In 1998, Roman and oboist Dmitry Bulgakov founded the Homecoming Chamber Music Festival which takes place annually in Moscow. Mints’s previous recordings also include the Grammy-nominated String Paths for ECM, and releases for the Black Box and Harmonia Mundi labels.

ROMANMINTS.COM         

 

 

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