As an enhancement and inspiration to the Workshop participants, as well as the general public, TCMS presented Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, playing violin and viola, and pianist Bryan Chuan in a recital of little known short works, illustrating the range of great composers’ exploration of this musical conversation.
The TCMS Advanced String Chamber Music Workshop invited advanced players of all ages and attracted participants ranging in age from 6 to 60 plus. Utilizing tapes and videos submitted prior to the first session, TCMS’s Artistic Director grouped the participants into small ensembles with matching skill levels and selected appropriate music for each group. Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio provided coaching for each ensemble assisted by members of the University of Nevada Reno Nightingale String Quartet.
During the week following the opening sessions, participants practiced individually or together and reconvened on June 10 and 11 for additional practice and coaching sessions. On the afternoon of June 11, the participants presented a performance of their selected works, followed by a reception for family and friends. Comments solicited from the participants were uniformly enthusiastic about the event and the learning experience provided. Supported by the NAC and National Endowment for the Arts
Featuring Vanessa Porter on violin and Nataly Roznitovsky on piano, the concert program included four Mozart Violin Sonatas and New Mexico contemporary composer, Lon Chaffin’s Carlsbad Caverns, commissioned and recorded by National Park Compositions Project with a special appearance by harpist Marina Roznitovsky Oster.
Duo Violão Plus One presented an engaging performance of contemporary Brazilian music, emphasizing choro, and showcasing original works and inventive arrangements. The performance featured a spontaneous “jam session” with TCMS Artistic Director, Laurentiu Norocel on violin. Supported by generous contributions by McDonald Carano, LLP and The Row, Reno
Brazilian guitarists, Rogério Souza, Edinho Gerber and percussionist Ami Molinelli presented a demonstration of the evolution of Brazilian music showing the similarities and contrasts between Brazil’s first national music, choro and its sister music samba. Students worked on two original arrangements by Rogerio Souza and learned traditional Brazilian rhythm, comparing styles and harmony for strings, orchestra and jazz band.