The College of Charleston School of the Arts is pleased to announce that violin professor and Director of Strings Lee-Chin Siow, critically-acclaimed soloist and Gold Medal winner of the 1994 Henryk Szeryng International Violin Competition, will perform again, for the first time since a car crash that broke her arm – the one that holds her violin. Siow, co-founder and co-director of Charleston Music Fest (CMF), has made a dramatic recovery and will appear in the opening concert of CMF’s 7th season on Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. The concert, Curtis Night – Lee-Chin & Friends featuring internationally-renowned alumni of the Curtis Institute of Music, will take place at 8 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Simons Center for the Arts.
Rallying to Siow’s support are her friends and fellow alumni from Curtis –well-known cellist Peter Stumpf, Professor of Cello at Indiana University and former Principal cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, along with renowned pianist Beatrice Long. The trio will perform popular masterworks by Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Strauss, Paul Schoenfield’s energetic and jazzy Café Music, and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Six Studies in English Folk Song.”
After the concert, the audience is invited to meet the artists at a reception where desserts prepared by Charleston Chef Robert Dickson will be served. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased by calling (843) 953-0935 or emailing charlestonmusicfest@gmail.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door one hour before curtain, based on availability. Reservations are strongly recommended. For more information, visit http://CharlestonMusicFest.com.
Charleston Music Fest is co-directed by College of Charleston music professors Lee-Chin Siow (violin) and Natalia Khoma (cello), to inspire their students and the community with high quality chamber music performances by world-class artists.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Lee-Chin Siow, violinist, is lauded by the American Record Guide as “a distinguished cultural asset of international stature.” Gold medal winner of the 1994 Henryk Szeryng International Violin Competition, Siow has performed to critical acclaim throughout the world, from Carnegie Hall to Japan’s Osaka Symphony Hall. Co-founder and co-director of the Charleston Music Fest, Siow is also the Director of Strings and Associate Professor of violin at the College of Charleston.
Peter Stumpf is professor of cello at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Prior to this appointment, he was the principal cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 9 years following a 12 year tenure as Associate Principal Cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. A dedicated chamber music musician and accomplished soloist, his awards include first prize in the Washington International Competition and concerto appearances have included the Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and at the Aspen Festival.
Beatrice Long has gained a reputation as one of the leading pianists of her generation and is a top prize winner in international competitions including Cleveland International Competition, World Piano competitions of Cincinnati and the Taipei International Piano Competitions. Long has performed as a soloist with Baltimore Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonia Estato de Mexico, National Symphony of Taiwan, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Taipei, Jura Symphony Orchestra of France, New Amsterdam Symphony, Festival Orchestra of Santa Barbara, Orchestre du Monde among others.
Three other concerts in 2013 will continue the CMF season:
Songs of Triumph will take place on Friday, February 22
CMF celebrates spring with the music of Mozart and Chausson. The grace of Mozart’s trio soars above his dark moments of financial despair, while the Trio in G minor displays Chausson’s genius with its depth of feeling and sheer beauty. A concert not to be missed, featuring string virtuosos Lee-Chin Siow and Natalia Khoma with pianist Volodymyr Vynntysky. This concert will take place at 8 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 St. Philip Street. $25 per person.
From Chaconne to Meditango will take place on Saturday, March 30
Presenting classical and contemporary favorites by Paganini, Piazzolla, Bach, and more in this concert by violinist Nazar Pylatyuk, Gold medallist of the Academy of the Arts of Ukraine and award-winning cellist Natalia Khoma and pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky. This concert will take place at 8 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 St. Philip Street. $25 per person.
Heart Strings II will take place on Sunday, April 14
Lee-Chin Siow and Natalia Khoma join forces with their award-winning students in a fundraising showcase for the College of Charleston Strings program in the Department of Music – an excellent opportunity to support Charleston’s rising musical stars and enjoy popular masterworks in the beautiful acoustics of St Luke’s Chapel. This concert will take place at 8 p.m. in St Luke’s Chapel at MUSC, corner of Ashley Ave. and Bee St. $25 per person.
PRESS:
Charleston City Paper, Nov. 8, 2012