Program
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Compositions by Apostolos Paraskevas
- "The Soldier's Tale"
Del Lewis, narrator/actor
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
- "The Daedalus and Ikarus Journey"
Eleni Calenos, Soprano
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
Boston Players, Francisco Noya, Conductor
- "A Night with the Aristocrats"
Neil Leonard, Soprano Saxophone
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
Boston Players, Francisco Noya, Conductor
- "A Sunny Day in Hell" (premiere)
John Muratore, Guitar
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
- "Let the sun shine in the night time" (premiere)
Composed by Anthony Paul De Ritis
Zhou Lingyan, Erhu
Gao Yunxiang, Pipa
Bahman Panahi, Tar
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
Del Lewis, Narrator
Amir Millstein, Flute
Grant Smith, Hand Percussionist
- "Nadir”, for prepared guitar
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
- "Invocation"
Bahman Panahi, Tar
Winnie Dahlgren, Vibraphone
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
- "A Feast for Tantalus"
Tantalus Guitar Quartet
- "Slave Story"
Del Lewis, Narrator/Actor
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
- "Lament", for guitar, soprano, and strings
Eleni Calenos, Soprano
Apostolos Paraskevas, Guitar
Boston Players, Francisco Noya, Conductor
Performers:
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Anthony Paul De Ritis
Composer Anthony Paul De Ritis is Professor and Chair of the Music Department at Northeastern University in Boston. His compositions have been called "groundbreaking", "ultra-exotic," and "really cool," and have received performances nationally and internationally; most notably the Prague Philharmonic premiered his Melody for Peace for Western and non-Western instruments at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
De Ritis' Devolution, a Concerto for DJ and Symphony Orchestra, features Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid as the soloist, and his compositions for the Chinese pipa were commissioned by virtuosi Min Xiao-Fen and Wu Man.
De Ritis completed his Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of California, Berkeley; his M.M. from Ohio University; and his B.A. in Music with a concentration in Business Administration from Bucknell University; he also holds a certificate in Internet Technologies and a Masters in Business Administration from Northeastern University.
De Ritis contracted and managed 112 musicians for the American premiere of John Cage's Ocean 1-95 with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and scored the music for the Macintosh computer game, Step On It, which won the 1997 MacWorld Arcade Game of the Year. He is the founder and lead developer of the Online Conservatory, a collaboration between the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Northeastern University, which was declared a "best practice" in "integrated" or "left-brain" marketing by Forrester Research in 2005.
Since 2007 De Ritis created the Music and Cultural Diplomacy symposium; established the Boston GuitarFest collaboration between the New England Conservatory and Northeastern University; received a 3-year one-million dollar grant from the U.S. State Department for the Fusion Arts Exchange program in music composition and performance, and has led Northeastern's Creative Industries initiative, which exists at the intersection of digital media, information technology and business entrepreneurship.
Visit Anthony Paul De Ritis' website
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Del Lewis
Del Lewis teaches advanced acting courses at Northeastern University. He is a member of Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild and worked as a professional actor for ten years, both on and off Broadway. Del was artistic director of Madison Repertory Theatre for three years. He was Director of Theatre and Head of the Graduate Acting program at UW-Madison prior to coming to Northeastern. Del is currently Director of the Center for the Arts at Northeastern University.
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Francisco Noya
Francisco Noya is the Resident Conductor of the Rhode Island Philharmonic and teaches conducting at the Berklee College of Music In Boston. He has conducted orchestras in the US, Europe and South America and is equally at home in the symphonic, pops, opera and contemporary repertoire. His most recent appearance performing with Apostolos Paraskevas was in St. Petersburg, Russia at the famous Capella Concert Hall conducting his Third Guitar Concerto.
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Eleni Calenos
Eleni Calenos was recently acclaimed by the Houston Press for her portrayal of Cio-Cio-San in the 2008 production of "Madama Butterfly" by Opera in the Heights. She is a graduate of the Opera Institute at Boston University. Her performances there include the roles of Pamina in "The Magic Flute", Mimi in "La Bohème", the title role in "Suor Angelica", and a cover for the Lady with the cake box in "Postcard from Morocco". Her other roles include the Countess in "Le Nozze di Figaro" with Opera in the Heights, Fiordiligi in "Così fan tutte" with the Barbados Music Festival, and Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni" with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, for which she earned critical acclaim from the NY Times.
Born in Greece, Ms. Calenos received her first degree from Salonica's Municipal Conservatory, a diploma in cello performance. She obtained her master's degree in vocal performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where she performed the role of Vee Talbott in the New York premiere of "Orpheus Descending" by Bruce Saylor, Mimi in "La Boheme", and Mother in "Hansel and Gretel".
Her concert appearances include Verdi's Requiem with the BU Symphony at Boston Symphony Hall and with the Queens College Symphony at Colden Theater in NY, as well as "Mirologhia", by George Tsontakis with the Portland and Albany Symphonies.
Ms. Calenos won the audience's favorite "Merle McInturff Award for Musical Excellence" of the Irma Cooper International Voice Competition 2008, in Columbus, Ohio. She is a winner of the Schyler Foundation Career Bridges Award, and received three scholarship awards from the Aaron Copland School of Music while studying for her master's degree.
Upcoming performances include, Liu in "Turandot" with Boston Concert Opera, a return to Opera in the Heights for the title role in "Manon", as well as a number of recitals for Greek cultural organizations of the United States.
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Bahman Panahi
Bahman Panahi He is the youngest son of a large artistic and cultivated family who was born into the milieu of the Arts and came into contact with music, painting, theatre and calligraphy through the work of his brothers. He chose music and calligraphy for himself. In his opinion the former stands for the Iranian history, its culture and its civilization, the later gives a spontaneous image of the Iranian creativity and its taste. His constant preoccupation is the relation between these two artistic domains. He studied Setar and Tar with great masters of persian classical music including Houshang ZARIF, Mohamad Reza LOFTI, and Ataolah ZAHED SHIRAZI.
Since 1990 he presented concerts, workshops, conferences, courses and exhibitions in Iran, France, India, at the Maldives, Cuba, Holland, England, Syria, Sri-Lanka, Tunisia, Nigeria, Marco, Spain, Mauritania, Poland, USA, Belgium, and Swiss. He studied at the Faculty of Arts of the Teheran University and Ecole des Beaux-Arts Valenciennes in France where he lives presently and studies at the doctoral school of the "Sorbonne" in Paris.
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Neil Leonard
Neil Leonard works as a sound artist, composer and saxophonist. His ensemble has featured Marshall Allen, Bruce Barth, Don Byron, Robin Eubanks, Uri Caine and Jamaaladeen Tacuma. Leonard performed and recorded with Boston Ballet, Bill Frisell, Vijay Iyer, Orlando ‘Cachaito' Lopez (Buena Vista Social Club), John Medeski, Butch Morris, Phill Niblock, Dave Samuels, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Steve Swallow, Evan Ziporyn.
Leonard's Dreaming of an Island, (for orchestra, electronics and live-video) was premiered by Kirk Trevor and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. Leonard's composition Totems was premiered at Carnegie Hall by Byron and Caine. His Echoes and Footsteps was featured by the Tel Aviv Biennial for New Music, Issue Project Room (NYC) and the Auditorium di Roma. Leonard's collaborative work with visual artist Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons was featured by the 49th Venice Biennial, Museum of Modern Art (NYC). Leonard composed the music for Relatives, by Tony Oursler and Constance DeJong featured by the Whitney Biennial. Leonard compositions were featured by festivals in Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden. He studied composition with Bob Brookmeyer, Michael Gandolfi and George Russell.
Leonard is co-owner of Gallery Artist Studio Project in Boston. Leonard is a Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He taught sound installation at the University of Padova and the C. Pollini Conservatory, Italy.
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John Muratore
John Muratore has performed as guitar soloist and chamber musician throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Russia. He has performed with numerous chamber ensembles including Alea III, the Spectrum Singers, the Mastersingers and Counterpoint. Recent concerto appearances have been with the Vermont Symphony, Boston Chamber Orchestra and Symphony by the Sea, under the direction of Jonathan McPhee.
Among the composers with whom John has worked closely to produce new solo and chamber works for the guitar are Daniel Pinkham, Scott Wheeler, Larry Bell, Roger Zahab and Jon Appleton. Mr. Muratore has been the featured soloist at the Academie Festival des Arcs(France), St. Petersburg (Russia) Chamber Concerts and the Atelier International Concert Series in Paris. In 1996 John was awarded First Prize in Alpha Delta Kappa Foundation's National Competition for String Players.
The Boston Globe has described him as "a fleet-fingered and musicianly performer" and has characterized his playing as..."unleashing so many different varieties of tone and color in quick succession...a kind of aural iridescence." John, whose live performances are often featured on WGBH Radio's Classical Performances with host Richard Knisely, has recorded for Albany, Arabesque and Pont Neuf Records. His recent, critically-acclaimed solo CD, Shadow Box, has been hailed by Britain's Classical Guitar magazine as "a fine recording,,,with serious intent". Mr. Muratore, who is on the faculty of Boston University and Dartmouth College, resides in Boston with his wife, Patricia-Maria Weinmann and their two children.
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Winnie Dahlgren
Winnie Dahlgren is originally from Denmark, Winnie has a M.M. in classical percussion from the Conservatory in Denmark, and a B.A. from Berklee College of Music, majoring in Jazz Composition and Performance. She has toured extensively in Europe, Africa and United States, performing both in classical and jazz settings. Winnie just returned from at tour with her quintet to Mozambique, South East Africa. She's currently an associate professor at Berklee College of Music. Winnie Dahlgren in endorsed by Vic Firth Inc. For more information go to: www.neemaproductions.com www.myspace.com/winniedahlgren
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Tantalus Quartet
Tantalus Quartet has dazzled audiences across the globe with their warm stage presence, their "perfect ensemble" (Reinischer Post, Germany), and their "strong, nuanced and textured performance[s] with compelling dynamics and a beautiful sound" (Julia Crowe, Classical Guitar).
Tantalus expands the boundaries the traditional guitar quartet with new music by award-winning composers, "clever and well-chosen" arrangements, "diverse and original" programming (Richard Long, Soundboard).
The Quartet's highly anticipated CD Debut has received rave reviews from critics: "The range of dynamics on this disc is unmatched in the genre. [Tantalus Quartet is] breaking new ground in terms of their aesthetic. The angst is back." (Andrew Hull, Rosewood Review). Produced by guitar luminary Bruce Holzman, Debut has been featured on National Public Radio's "Classical Guitar Alive" and "Guitar Journeys" (KUSF San Francisco).
Tantalus maintains an active performing schedule, and has appeared at important concert series and festivals throughout the United States, Europe, and Canada, including the Guitar Foundation of America Festival, and the New York Guitar Seminar (U.S.A.); Iserlohn International Guitar Symposium (Germany); Acadia International Guitar Festival (Canada); and many others.
Strong advocates of new music, the quartet is cultivating a repertoire of important works by major composers. Most recently Tantalus premeired The Feast, a Concerto for Guitar Quartet and Orchestra, written by Grammy-nominated composer Apostolos Paraskevas.
Tantalus Quartet is: Kristian Anderson, Matthew Cochran, Kevin Manderville, and Stephen Mattingly. Tantalus performs on D'Addario Strings.
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| The Boston Players
Winner of the XXVI Biennual Vittorio Veneto (Italy), and the Brahms Preis Competitions (Germany), violinist Markus Placci has been soloist in internationally renowned venues such as the Great Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg (Russia), Teatro Monumental Madrid, and the Richardson Auditorium Princeton with orchestras like the Barcelona Symphony, Radio Television Orchestra of Spain, Baden-Baden Philharmonie and the Bologna Symphony. An active chamber musician, he holds the prestigious Artist Diploma from the Boston Conservatory.
Canadian-Chinese violinist, Cordelia Paw is a pupil of Lynn Chang at the Boston Conservatory where she is the Michael A. Alaura Scholar. Ms. Paw was also a member of the Sospiro Quartet, which in 2008 won the International New England Chamber Music Competition and made their Carnegie Hall debut in May 2008. Her performances have spanned venues in Italy, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, including a performance in Boston's Sanders Theater as the winner of the '07-'08 Boston Conservatory Concerto Competition. Ms. Paw has collaborated and performed with Lynn Chang, Rhonda Rider, Roger Tapping and Anton Kuerti.
Violinist and violist Patrick Shaughnessy has played in numerous orchestral to chamber ensembles. Mr. Shaughnessy holds degrees from Florida State University and the Boston Conservatory of Music. His teachers have been Eliot Chapo, and Irina Muresanu. Currently, Mr. Shaughnessy is a Graduate Performance Diploma student at the Boston Conservatory.
Ecuadorian-Spanish cellist Francisco Vila has performed internationally in Europe, North and South America in venues including Carnegie Hall, and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. His collaborations have paired him with Grammy-nominated composers Apostolos Paraskevas and Osvaldo Golijov. Mr. Vila currently studies with Andrew Mark at the Boston Conservatory, and will continue his studies with Janos Starker at Indiana University in the fall of 2009.
Double bassist Justin McCarty has performed with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, and with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the New World Symphony. As recitalist and chamber musician, he has performed extensively in Boston, at the Bowdoin Music Festival, and Music Academy of the West. Mr. McCarty holds degrees from the New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory and Harvard University. He is currently in the Graduate Diploma program at the Boston Conservatory, continuing his studies with Dennis Roy.
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