Symphony and Salsa ~ Our 2007-08 Season Finale
The
first half of the program features CHSO Concertmaster
Nicola Takov, along with
Angel Valchinov. Together,
they will perform
Navarra (Spanish
Dance): A Concerto for Two Violins,
a firecracker of a piece written by Pablo de
Sarasate.
Navarra is a magnificent and demanding showpiece which
produces brilliant sound. Rather than favoring one violin
and letting the other off with easier material, this work is demanding
for both soloists. The invigorating CHSO will set a lyrical but
impassioned passage for the two violins that will rip into the
Spanish-flavored themes. One violin will play trills while the other
provides a double-stop drone, but for much of the piece they will play
the melody together in close harmony. Takov and Valchinov, both
acclaimed virtuosos, will dazzle the audience with their pizzicato, the
swirling, intertwining lines and the increasingly finger-twisting
material put forth in this piece.
Next on the program, Soprano
Susan Benner-Bonito will
perform
Bachianas Brasileiras, a lush piece,
written by
Heitor Villa-Lobos. “With
a world-class voice, a masterful technique, a depth of spirit, and a
commanding stage presence, Susan
Bonito draws her audiences into the heart of the music and
takes them on a journey far beyond entertainment…”
Villa-Lobos claimed that he
had “learned music from a bird in the jungles of Brazil,” and the sounds
of folk-tunes, native instruments, and Brazilian street dances echo
through many of his works. The other force was the g
reat
tradition of European classical music, which pulled Villa- Lobos as
irresistibly as had the song of that jungle bird. At the heart of his
love for “classical” music was his reverence for the works of J.S. Bach.
Villa-Lobos was able to fuse these passions in his series of
Bachianas Brasileiras, nine
quite different pieces written for various instrumental and vocal
combinations between 1930 and 1945. Each piece shows the two influences
on Villa-Lobos, combining Bach-like music with movements based on
Brazilian folk-songs and dances.
The second
half of the program belongs to Daniel
Salazar, an innovative artist praised internationally for his
"...warm, virtuosic playing" and "exceptional artistic talent.” Salazar
will perform the Adagio movement of the
Concierto de Aranjuez, by
Joaquín Rodrigo. The slow movement with haunting Spanish folk tunes and
beautiful harmonies is, by far, one of the most beautiful adagios’s ever
written; most have heard it played in the old Chrysler Cordoba
television commercials that were narrated by Ricardo Montelban. In
addition, Salazar will continue to elate the audience with his
performances of Rimsky Korsakov’s
Capriccio Espagnol, De Falla’s
Fire Dance, and Lecuona’s
Malaguena.
Mr. Salazar has appeared in many prestigious venues, including Liechtenstein Palace in Prague, the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Wienawski Hall in Poznan, the Artist's Palace in Vilnius, the Minsk Academy of Music, the Museum of Fine Arts in Malta, the Instituto de Bellas Artes in Morelia, Mexico and many others. He has participated in numerous festivals, including the Curso Internacional de Interpretacion Musical and the Festival Internacional de Guitarra, both in Spain, as well as the Feria de la Guitarra in Mexico.
Having had the distinction of being selected, from a nationwide search, as United States Artistic Ambassador, Daniel has toured Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, where his playing has been enjoyed by international audiences through performances on television and radio in ten countries. Highlights of his recent concert seasons include performances at the prestigious American Academy in Rome and the Manoel Theatre in Malta.
Daniel, who has studied guitar with some of the world's foremost classical masters, has also been influenced by various other styles including traditional and popular Latin American music, Spanish flamenco and even American Rock. Marking an exciting new phase in his career, his latest project now brings many of these elements together in the self-titled recording, "Daniel Salazar." In his continued effort to expand the guitar's repertoire, Daniel Salazar has developed a new musical style that features the classical guitar combined with an ensemble of guitars, bass, keyboards, Latin percussion and orchestral instruments, resulting in a refreshingly original contemporary sound.
“Symphony & Salsa” will take place Saturday, May 3rd at 7:30 pm at Milford Town Hall, 52 Main Street, Milford, MA. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.claflinhill.org or by calling 508-478-5924. Prices: Reserved, $35; General Admission, $30; Student/Senior, $25.