As 2013-2014 season is winding down (a few more concerts to go!), booking and planning for the next season (starting September 2014) are starting.

 On September 28 I will be performing at Chappaqua Library again in its chamber music series. Here is a preview of the program, quintet for oboe, violin, viola, cello and piano by Dubois (Adagio non troppo movement).

 Such a beautiful movement! The group is going to read the whole quintet next week :-)

 On the same program, we will be playing Phantasy by Britten and Fantasy by Moeran, both are oboe quartet (oboe, violin, viola and cello).
 
 I am going to return to Chappaqua chamber series in November, playing Mozart's masterpiece, clarinet quintet. We are selecting a string quartet to go with it.

 I will post the concert details soon. Stay tuned!

 This past Sunday concert at Concordia College - New York concluded my seven consecutive weeks of concerts. I have one weekend off and then re-starting performing again.
 
  The last seven weeks was a series of difficult program and I had 2 weeks maximum to prepare for them. I'm so glad it all went well! The most fun I had was with the Long Ridge Music Center faculty recital and "All About Folk!" concert but I also got to play great orchestral literature. There were a few pieces that I had not known or even known of, and one of them, Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire by Wagner, surprisingly became my favorite. Why did I say "surprisingly"? Well, I had never really liked Wagner's music. Not that I had had that many opportunities to play his music (because his operas are lengthy and not budget-friendly for opera companies), but the ones I had played/known were not my favorites. A friend of mine had pointed out that I need to give it a chance. Well, he was right.  Here's a YouTube video of Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire. Enjoy!

Thank you to those who came to our "All About Folk!" concert in Brooklyn (it was a nasty rainy evening)! The program featured folk-inspired pieces from all over the world, written in the 20th century. It was quite a challenging program for performers but was a good one, covering different regions of the world and each piece has its own unique characters.

 I would also like to thank the Zeavin-Moss family for hosting such a lovely house concert. It was set in their nice living room and the acoustics were just great. They gave us a warm welcome and it was great to meet and greet the audience members after the concert. It's more relaxed than concert hall situation and we enjoyed wine and cheese afterwards, too. 


We are hoping to repeat the program, in a concert setting and an outreach concert setting. If you know of any venues, schools and institutions, please let me know!

The program was;
Bartok -- Romanian Folk Dances (piano solo)
Kodaly -- Duo (violin and cello)
Sheng -- My Songs (piano solo)
Miyagi -- Haruno Umi (violin and piano)
Piazzolla -- Primavera Portena and Oblivion (piano trio)
O'Connor -- Appalachia Waltz (cello solo)
Zorman -- On Three Things (piano trio)

 Bartok and Kodaly covered Eastern Europe, Sheng and Miyagi Asia, Piazzolla South America, O'Connor North America and Zorman took us back to Eastern Europe (Israel) .

Last Friday, Long Ridge Music Center held its annual faculty recital. My talented colleagues performed music from a wide range of time periods. It was fun and educational and I hope that our students and families, and our guests enjoyed the concert.
 
 Long after I picked my repertoire, Violin Sonata by Franck and Souvenir d'Amérique by Vieuxtemps, it finally came to my mind that the two composers were both from Belgium and were contemporaries. Duh!

 I had a great time working with Benjamin Steinhardt (on the Franck) and Rachel Cohen (Vieuxtemps). They have been my friends and colleagues since 2010 and our rehearsals are always filled with laughter and serious music making at the same time.
 I have to also mention that we all had a blast at the after party hosted by our wonderful director! 

  Our 4-month adventure is coming to an end. Since November, I have been working with 16 participants of After School Arts Program Inter-District Strings Project.

  This is part of Waterbury Symphony Orchestra's outreach program and this is my third year being its Teaching Artist. The participants work toward concerts in which they sit side by side with WSO musicians. This year for the first time we have two adult participants. It's a nice addition to this mostly-teenager group.

 The group came a long way -- some learned about two-year worth of private studies within four months. For some of them the music looked easy so I gave them some new challenges. In each rehearsal session, they took the challenges and they went many steps ahead of where they were. And everyone has a positive attitude toward their music and progress. That made it so easy for the three Teaching Artists to work with them!

 Yesterday we performed three in-school concerts at Litchfield Intermediate School (ASAP Facebook page post is here). Waterbury Symphony started each concert with a fiddle-like piece (the first two concerts with "Hoe-Down" and the third with "Fiddle Faddle) which I think the audience liked. The ASAP/WSO Side-by-Side part was very successful and I am so proud of the students' performance! 
 
  We will be playing the final and public concert tonight at Litchfield Intermediate School. It will be sad to end the journey -- it has been a great pleasure for me to work with the dedicated participants! But I hope that the participants will keep learning and playing and return to the program next year.

 Our big "salamat" (Thank you in Tagalog) to our wonderful audience and donors of Concert for the Philippines! So far we have raised close to $2300.
  We are still accepting donations. Please make a check payable to Episcopal Relief and Development (memo: Philippines) and send it to 200 Riverside Ave. Riverside, CT 06878. Thank you!

 I don't know how I can express my gratitude to all the musicians, volunteers, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, donors, and of course, our awesome audience! It was so much fun making music for this cause at such a high level. I played "Phantasy" by Britten, "Passacaglia" by Handel-Halvorsen, "Duo for Violin and Cello" by Martinu, "Suite for Two Violins and Piano" by Moskowski and "Gabriel's Oboe" by Morricone. All pieces were my favorite and I'm glad I got to play them in this concert.

As I mentioned in "Meet the Musicians", those musicians are dear friends of mine and it was great to make music with them :-) All groups worked really well together as an ensemble and rehearsals were very smooth and effective. It's hard to find good chamber partners but this time we had absolutely no problem! I enjoyed exchanging ideas with them and trying different things to see what makes sense the most. And even concert attire matching went without any issues!

 Another great thing about this concert was that I got to spend some quality time with them as well. Usually musicians don't get to spend much time together outside rehearsals and concerts. Two of them stayed at my place the night before the concert. We got to catch up and talk about many different things. I also have to mention that they helped me prepare for bake sale.

  I really appreciate their time, devotion, help and support!

 At the end of the concert they acknowledged me with a nice bouquet (and I got one from my friend). How nice is that?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! They are so wonderful and sweet, I am truly truly thankful that I have friends like them. 

 Our special thanks go to David Johnson, the music director of St.Paul's Episcopal Church, and Elen Hinckley, Parish Administrator of St. Paul's. Without them this concert and fund raising were not possible.

 Anyone wishing making donations, please do so now. It's never too late and natural disaster victims need aid for a long long time. I would love to give continuous support as much as I can. 

 All photos by Elen Hinckley

Meet the musicians of Concert for the Philippines! They are all my friends and colleagues.

Melanie Sasaki was born in Germany and started violin lessons at the age of 4 after moving to Japan. She began studying the Suzuki Method under the guidance of her mother, Heidi Sasaki-Born, an accomplished violist/violinist. She continued with the Suzuki Method after moving to the United States at age 6 until enrolling in the Westchester Conservatory in New York at the age of 7. Additional moves have provided her opportunities to study in Chicago and Switzerland as well.

Ms. Sasaki earned her Bachelors of Music degree studying under Albert Markov at the Manhattan School of Music and Laurie Smuckler at the State University at Purchase.

Ms. Sasaki has performed in orchestras in New York, Chicago, Switzerland, Germany, Venezuela and numerous tri-state ensembles, including the Ridgefield Symphony. She maintains an active studio at the Riverside School of Music in Greenwich, CT as well as teaching at The Stanwich School in Greenwich, CT.

 A sought-after violinist, Chie Yoshinaka has been pursuing an international musical career. The highlight of recent seasons includes solo and chamber music recitals in the States and Japan, Brahms' Double Concerto with Micha Haran (the former principal cello of the Israel Philharmonic) and the ABS-CBN Philharmonic in Quezon City, Philippines, and Baroque concerti with St. Paul's Episcopal Church's chamber orchestra in Connecticut. A winner of the Lillian Fuchs Memorial Chamber Music Competition, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Centre, the United Nations among other venues in the New York area. She has served as a guest concertmaster in many orchestras in different regions of the United States. She has served on artist-faculty at music schools, festivals (most recently at OPUSFEST 2013 in Antipolo, Philippines) and youth orchestras such as Chicago Youth Symphony. She is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music and New York University. Her major teachers include Neil Weintrob and Peter Winograd.

Lyons Chamber Players’ Concertmaster Sayuri K. Lyons has performed extensively throughout North America and Asia. She has played concertmaster with Fresno Opera, the Osaka Opera Club, the Orchestra of Bronx, Nimbus Ensemble, Opera a la Carte, Guild Opera and the Lyric Opera of Los Angeles. She has performed with the Springfield Symphony, El Paso Opera, Santa Barbara Symphony, Fresno Symphony, Long Beach Symphony and numerous other Orchestras. She has appeared on the Tonight show with Enya and in numerous feature films, TV shows and videos. In addition, Sayuri has credits as an orchestrator and concertmaster for various Hollywood film scores.

A native of the Philippines, Michael Alas has degrees in romance languages/pre-medical studies from Wagner College and viola performance from the Purchase College Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Ira Weller. Performances all over the world from Alaska to New Zealand, from Carnegie Hall to breaking cultural ground and touring all over Asia with the Manhattan Symphonie. Equally at home in the Emergency Room and the concert stage, Michael is currently pursuing medical studies at Columbia University, is a Research Associate at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell, and a pit violist for the Westchester Broadway Theatre's current production of Titanic.

A native of Wisconsin, cellist Kirsten Jermé leads an active musical life as a performer and teacher in New York City. Kirsten completed her M.M. in Cello Performance at the Eastman School of Music, and received her B.A. from Stony Brook University. An avid orchestral player, chamber musician and recitalist, Kirsten has performed extensively throughout the region and in Canada and the UK, at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall and Royal Festival Hall to Le Poisson Rouge and Roulette. Kirsten was involved in community programs at Turtle Bay Music School and the Eastman Community Music School, and helped launch an arts outreach program at Stony Brook. A dedicated educator, Kirsten has taught at P.S. 129 in Harlem for The Harmony Program, modeled on Venezuela's El Sistema, and is currently on faculty at Greenwich House Music School and Larchmont Music Academy, and teaches at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.

Delia Montenegro holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Douglass College of Rutgers University and a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Her teachers include Sherry Sylar, associate principal oboist with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra, Marsha Heller, William Arrowsmith, Virginia Brewer and Marc Fink.

After completing her studies in Wisconsin, Ms. Montenegro joined the National Symphony Orchestra in Colombia, South America. Since her return to the United States, she has performed with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Metropolitan area, including the Spianato Winds and the Radley Woodwind Quintet. She has appeared as soloist with the Chappaqua Orchestra, New Jersey State Orchestra, Plainfield Symphony, New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, and Stretto Chamber Players. She has played principal oboe with the New Jersey State Orchestra, New York Chamber Orchestra, Plainfield Symphony, Virtuosi de Camera, and Suburban Symphony. In 1996 she recorded a CD entitled, “ The Oboe Soloist” for the Music Minus One Company.

Currently she is the Principal Oboist with the Chappaqua Symphony Orchestra. She serves as the High School Band Director of the Briarcliff Manor Public Schools, where she has taught since 1987.

 A few weeks ago I got a call to play solo on Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.4 on Christmas Eve at St.Paul's Episcopal Church in Greenwich. Great, I love Brandenburg Concerti (all of them!) and I have played it before (actually, with the same orchestra as this time).
 Today I was notified that they added Bach's Concerto for Violin and Oboe onto the program. I can hardly contain my excitement because that's a piece that I wanted to play with an orchestra! It's going to be my dream-come-true Christmas Eve.
 There are two versions of this concerto; c minor and d minor. I have read it in d minor but this time we are playing in c minor. I have to get the music soon...
 
 Here's a great recording of it by Julia Fischer. Enjoy!

 Here's a bit of "behind the stage" episode. It had come up in a conversation with my mother this morning, how the oboist and I wanted to play this piece with the orchestra. What's even more peculiar, my mother and I were talking about the Christmas Eve gig back in October, what the program might be, and a few hours later, the music director called to book me!
 
 It's wonderful how things turned out immediately after I verbalized hopes and dreams. So maybe I should also mention that there's other pieces like Beethoven concerto... ;-) 
 

  The Schubert Octet concert is tomorrow afternoon! We finished all three rehearsals and I am very excited to perform the piece. It's been great to work with those talented musicians. Because the octet is not very often played, this may be the only performance opportunity! And I realized this is my first Schubert chamber music performance (that surprised me, too).

  Our open rehearsal on Thursday had to start with a lecture on the piece and a Q and A session with our audience because our cellist's car broke down on her way. Luckily that happened very close to the venue, we managed to start the actual rehearsal 45 minutes late. It was nice to play for an audience that up close and they told us they enjoyed it as well.

  Anyway... it's FREE admission at Chappaqua Library (195 S Greeley Ave  Chappaqua, NY 10514). 3pm tomorrow! Please come and enjoy beautiful music.

  
 

 On July 18, the octet of Chappaqua Chamber Players visited a prison up in Wallkill, NY, to perform an hour program. This was covered by Inside Chappaqua Magazine (September issue) and here are posts from their Facebook page: 1 2 .

 Started off with the first movement of Schubert's Octet, Yang Sun Kim and I played three duets from Bartok's 44 Duos for violins, two Cuban dances for horn and bassoon, the last movement of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, string bass jazz solo, some pops trios for two violins and bass, and we ended the program with the Scherzo movement of the Octet. I really enjoyed working with these musicians. Some are new, two are from last October's all Prokofiev program so it had been a while but they are all very flexible and have a great ear to play chamber music. And on top of it they are great musicians!

 I hope that our audience enjoyed it. It was about 95F with no A/C, it might have been very uncomfortable to sit quietly for an hour.

 A little fact about heat and tuning: strings stretch with heat so tuning gets flat but woodwinds and brass are the opposite. When you play in this environment string players have to start playing sharper and winds and brass flatter. When it gets cold, it's the opposite.
 I figured my gut D and G strings (Passione from Pirastro) hold up really well under such circumstance but my A string (Infeld Red) gets affected right away. Usually gut strings are known for being unstable with tuning but this is one of the reasons I love Passione. Unfortunately my violin doesn't like Passione A string, so the best match I have found is Passione on G and D, Infeld Red on A and Obligato Gold E string.

 

 I am heading up to Camp Encore/Coda tomorrow morning for a three-week session. I can't wait to work with my returning students and new students! In the first faculty recital I'm going to be performing Duo for Violin and Cello, Op.7 by Zoltan Kodaly with Kirsten Jermé.