Chris Acquavella concerts and workshops in SE New England

We are thrilled that Chris Acquavella is making a long-awaited appearance on the East Coast and we would like to announce the two workshops and concerts that he will be holding in the Rhode Island/Connecticut area.

1. Rhode Island
A workshop Friday afternoon, May 4th, is being scheduled. Contact Josh Bell for more info:
josh@verbatimdesign.com

Chris Acquavella IN CONCERT with the Providence Mandolin Orchestra
8:00 PM Saturday, May 5, 2012
Wheeler Hall, The Wheeler School , 216 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02906
Admission: $20.00/ $15 students
Info: http://www.mandolin-orchestra.org/

2. Connecticut

North Meadow Workshop & House Concert
Sunday, May 6, 2012.
158 East Old Route 6, Hampton, CT
Workshop: 2:00 - 4:00 PM $50.00
Concert: 7:30 PM $20.00
Concert + workshop: $65.00
Info/reservations: markmdavis@yahoo.com

Full press release here on Chris Acquavella's concert/workshop event in Connecticut:

NORTH MEADOW HOUSE CONCERTS presents

A master class and concert with
Chris Acquavella, classical mandolinist

Sunday, May 6, 2012
North Meadow Farm, 158 East Old Route 6, Hampton, CT

Workshop/Master-class: 2:00-4:00 PM $50:00
Concert: 7:30 PM $20:00
Workshop AND concert special price: $65:00
For reservations, please contact: markmdavis@yahoo.com

"Chris Acquavella delivers powerfully emotive solo performances that pay homage to their historical origins through his own uniquely personal mandolin voice."
- David Grisman, Mandolinist

Chris Acquavella is being hailed as perhaps the preeminent American classical mandolinist of his generation. We are thrilled that he has consented to hold a workshop in addition to his concert here on Sunday, May 6th.

Chris’s concert will be an intriguing blend of classic and contemporary music, featuring works by J.S. Bach, D. Scarlatti, Calace, O’Carolan, da Pace, Ochi, Kalberer and Acquavella. Mr. Acquavella performs on both a contemporary round-back instrument in the German style and a copy of an authentic Baroque ‘mandolino.’ Guitarist Mark Davis will accompany Mr. Acquavella on several of his selections.

Chris’s workshop is aimed at the advancing beginning-to-intermediate mandolinist. This workshop is an overview of the techniques needed for various mandolin styles. We will work on left & right hand coordination, left hand dexterity & accuracy, as well as some classical right hand technique. The class will learn exercises, etudes & simple pieces that will help develop them into a stronger player & musician. The workshop will end with the ensemble learning & playing a piece together. We observed Chris Acquavella give a marvelous workshop at this year’s CMSA Festival in Baltimore. He is an inspired and inspiring, teacher whose style reflects that of his mentor, the late English mandolinist/teacher, Alison Stephens.

"Chris Acquavella's technique is breathtaking…..It sounds like he has unconditional love for the material. He is lifting this repertoire to an exciting level….This masterpiece is great listening." - Reidar Falch, Mandolin Moments, Oct. 2011

Chris Acquavella will also be performing in concert with the Providence Mandolin Orchestra on Saturday, May 5th. In addition to his solo repertoire Mr. Acquavella will perform the little-heard Mandolin Concerto by Arno Starck and his own Yutuma for solo mandolin and mandolin orchestra. The concert is at 8:00 PM in Wheeler Hall, at The Wheeler School, 216 Hope St., Providence, RI.

Chris Acquavella bio:
Christopher Acquavella is a classical mandolinist & educator from San Diego, California. He graduated First Class Honors from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance in London, England. Chris won the Wolfsan Foundation Music Award in 2004 and was awarded the TCM Trust Silver Medal for String Studies in 2006. He studied under the instruction of Alison Stephens and participated in Master Class with Caterina Lichtenberg. Chris has performed with some great musicians such as Avi Avital, Alon Sariel, Jeremy Kurtz, Tim Connell, Alison Stephens & Mike Marshall. Aside from chamber music, he concertizes as a soloist & orchestral musician with various orchestras throughout Europe and America such as Trinity String Ensemble (UK), Dartington Festival Orchestra(UK), E.G.M.A. (DE), New City Sinfonia (USA), Camarada Chamber Ensemble (USA) and the San Diego Symphony (USA). Chris is currently a member of the Ger Mandolin Orchestra, directed by Mike Marshall. As the Artistic Director/Conductor of the New Expression Mandolin Orchestra, Chris aims to continue the traditions & eduction of original classical mandolin repertoire.

Chris Acquavella has performed & taught workshops at the CMSA Conventions, and at the 8th Annual Mandolin Symposium. He is also a mandolin/guitar instructor at New Expression School of Music in San Diego. Aside from teaching and performing, Chris spends time composing new works for mandolin & mandolin ensembles. Several of his works are published by Haus der Musik Trekel, Germany.

WEBSITE: www.chrisacquavella.com

Chris is in the house right now. What a player! Yesterday we had the opportunity to go over the duos we will be performing together on Sunday - D. Scarlatti Sonate d-moll, V-54, "Himmel uber Kyoto by Condin, and the Toccata (first movement of the Sonatinetta by Brian Israel. I had my first chance to hear Chris' beautiful mandolino by Brian Dean - what a gorgeous harp-like sound it has! And perfect for the O'Carolan variations he has planned to play on it.

The Sunday night house concert is sold out but there are still seats for Chris' appearance this Saturday night with the PMO.

Chris Acquavella IN CONCERT with the Providence Mandolin Orchestra
8:00 PM Saturday, May 5, 2012
Wheeler Hall, The Wheeler School , 216 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02906
Admission: $20.00/ $15 students

Info: http://www.mandolin-orchestra.org/

The Providence Mandolin Orchestra
Mark Davis, Director
With special guest Christopher Acquavella
Wheeler School, Providence RI
Saturday, May 5, 2012, 8 PM

Nocturne Frank Wallace

Neponset Valley Suite Owen Hartford
River Bottom – Currents - Evening

Oblivion Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
arr. R. A. Margo

The Providence Mandolin Orchestra

(Pause)
Imardin Christopher Acquavella
Captain O'Kane Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738)
De Samodeste Mere Gabriele Leone (c. 1735- a.1768)
El Duende Juan Carlos Munoz
Piccolo Gavotta, Op. 73 Raffaele Calace (1863-1934)
Fantasia No. 1 Takashi Ochi (1934-2010)
Chris Acquavella, mandolin and baroque mandolino
(Pause)

Konzert h-moll for solo-mandoline und
Zupforchester Arno Starck (d. 1960)
Allegro moderato – In memorium –
Allegretto giocoso

Yutuma Christopher Acquavella

Providence Mandolin Orchestra with Christopher Acquavella, mandolin solo


Program Notes by Robert A. Margo

The Providence Mandolin Orchestra is honored to present one of the world’s leading performers on classical mandolin, Christopher Acquavella, solo and in ensemble with the PMO. Our concert begins with three works performed by the PMO. A prolific composer for modern classical guitar and an eminent performer on early plucked strings and modern guitar, Frank Wallace’s Nocturne is his first large scale composition for mandolin ensemble. Owen Hartford has written many works for the PMO over his long tenure with the group. His latest composition, in three movements, is the Neponset Valley Suite. The main theme of the first movement, “River Bottom”, is undulated and jagged, while the second movement, “Currents”, eddies back and forth between gentle harmonies and starkly chromatic lines in 13/8. Drawing on minimalist impulses, “Evening” alternates between 4/4 and 3/4 before the “River Bottom” theme returns. One of his most popular and enduring works Astor Piazzolla composed Oblivion for Marco Bellocchio’s film Enrico IV, an adaptation of the classic play by Luigi Pirandello.

Throughout its long history the mandolin has boasted a substantial repertoire for solo performance. One of the first great virtuosi, Gabriele Leone was active in Paris in the 1760s. Like his other works for solo mandolin, “De Samodeste Mere” originally appeared in Leone’s method, “A Complete Introduction to the Art of Playing the Mandoline” (1768). Leone’s “air” was written for the baroque ancestor of today’s four course instrument while the O’Carolan is an arrangement that is performed on a modern reproduction of a baroque “mandolino”, which had 5 or 6 courses and, unlike the conventional mandolin, was tuned in fourths. “Piccolo Gavota” is a beloved miniature by the great early 20th century Italian mandolinist Raffaele Calace, who excelled not only in composition but also performance and instrument design and construction. Born in Japan, Takashi Ochi later moved to Germany where he enjoyed a career as one of the leading performers on classical mandolin during the latter half of the twentieth century. Among his many compositions were a series of works for solo mandolin, such as the atmospheric “Fantasia No. 1”. Juan Carlos Munoz’s fiery “El Duende” is the final piece of a collection of seven works for solo mandolin entitled “Estampes”.

Of his own composition “Imardin” Chris Acquavella writes that “Imardin is the capital city of Kyralia, from the fantasy novel series, The Black Magician trilogy by Australian author Trudi Canavan. The city was made up of three circular walls that separated the social classes. It consists of slum-dwellers as well as the upper class aristocracy. I was reading the Canavan books while composing this piece. Just like the fictional city, “Imardin” for solo mandolin consists of three sections that each have their own personalities. The opening is gentle, full chords and singing melody line. The middle section is vibrant, fast and rhythmical. The final section is slow, mellow and haunting; finally ending back at the main melody. “Imardin” started life as an idea for solo harp. I was never happy with how the notes and phrases were taking shape on the harp so I transferred it back to the mandolin. All of a sudden I started to hear the energy and excitement that I had first envisioned.”

Our concert closes with two modern works for solo mandolin and mandolin ensemble. Born in Dresden in the late 19th century, Arno Starck studied violin, piano, conducting and composition at the Dresden Conservatory of Music. In addition to numerous works for violin, orchestra, male and mixed choir, he also wrote a series of pieces for mandolin ensemble in a neo-baroque style, such as the “Concerto in B-minor” performed this evening. Chris Acquavella’s second work on the program, “Yutuma”, is a tour-de-force workout in multiple meters, drawing on Bulgarian music for inspiration.


The Providence Mandolin Orchestra

Director: Mark Davis
First Mandolin: Joshua Bell (concertmaster), Christine Chito, Yvette Cote, Duane Golumb
Second Mandolin: Lynne Bell, Owen Hartford
Mandola: Mark Chouke, Mack Johnston, Robert Margo
Mandocello: Dan Moore, Matt Snyder
Guitar: Mark Armstrong, Beverly Davis, Sylvie Harris, Michael Hession
Bass: Hiatt Knapp

The original Providence Mandolin Orchestra was founded in 1913 by William Place Jr., one of the leading virtuosos of the mandolin in the United States during the instrument’s “Golden Age” of the early 20th century. The modern version of the PMO dates from 1971, when it was revived by Hibbard Perry. Since then the PMO has become the leading American mandolin ensemble with regular performances throughout the eastern United States and Western Europe. Currently the PMO is directed by Mark Davis, who pursues an active career as an educator, conductor, and performer. The PMO is dedicated to the performance of contemporary music, including pieces written for the ensemble. In the past five years the PMO has given US or world premieres of new works by Clarice Assad, Betty Beath, Richard Charlton, Owen Hartford, Victor Kioulaphides, Annette Kruisbrink, Stephen Lalor, Olaf Naslund, Robert Schultz, Emile Stopler, Caroline Szeto, Francine Trester, and Frank Wallace. Also over the past five years the PMO has embarked on an ambitious program of joint performances with leading European mandolin ensembles, including Het Consort (The Netherlands, directed by Alex Timmerman); the Ensemble a Plectre de Toulouse (France, directed by Alain Corvocchiola); the JZO NRW (Germany, directed by Christian de Witt); and the Orchestra of the International Mandolin Academy (Italy, directed by Carlo Aonzo).

A leading performer worldwide on classical mandolin, Christopher Acquavella graduated First Class Honors from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, England. A student of the late Alison Stephens, Acquavella won the Wolfsan Foundation Music Award in 2004 and was awarded the TCM Trust Silver Medal for String Studies in 2006. Chris has performed with Avi Avital, Alon Sariel, Jeremy Kurtz, Tim Connell, Alison Stephens and Mike Marshall, and as a soloist and orchestral musician with the Trinity String Ensemble (UK), Dartington Festival Orchestra (UK), E.G.M.A. (DE), New City Sinfonia (USA), Camarada Chamber Ensemble (USA) and the San Diego Symphony (USA). He is also a mandolin/guitar instructor at New Expression School of Music in San Diego and Artistic Director/Conductor of the New Expression Mandolin Orchestra. Aside from teaching and performing, Chris spends time composing new works for mandolin and mandolin ensemble. Several of his works are published by Haus der Musik Trekel, Germany. His recording of solo works for mandolin, “Praeludium” was recently released to great acclaim.

Visit the PMO at its website, www.mandolin-orchestra.org and on youtube.

Chris' house concert last night at Mark Davis' was excellent. Many of the pieces were from his recently released solo CD. Chris has a strong, supple technique with a powerful, rich, and highly musical sound. I especially enjoyed his own piece "Imardin" (recently published by Trekel, my copy arrived in the mail over the weekend) and a modernist but accessible suite by Oliver Kalberer. There were also three very well played duets with Mark Davis, including a revival of the Tocatta (first movement) of the Brian Israel "Sonatinetta".

Chris has an easy, winning way with the audience that connects directly on an emotional level (evident especially when he performed "Moonlight on the Thames" from the Hugo D'Alton book, A Variety of Mandolin Music). Both instruments that he played, a modern copy of a 6-course mandolino and a German-style bowlback, were by Brian Dean and sounded superb (and, obviously, were beautifully made).

If you have a chance to attend once of Chris' house concerts, I highly recommend it. I did not have a chance to attend the workshop but the report was that it, too, was excellent.

For those near the New York area, Chris will be doing another house concert on the upper west side of Manhattan. More details here.

And here on May 17th www.thehillchapelhouseconcerts.com new Market MD..a small brick church, owned by a friend of mine, is hosting a music series! We're excited!!

[QUOTE=margora;1049691]Chris' house concert last night at Mark Davis' was excellent. Many of the pieces were from his recently released solo CD.

Here is Chris' program from last Sunday:


Chris Acquavella program
North Meadow House Concert May 6, 2012

1. Diferencias – V. Kioulaphides

2. Captain O'Kane - O'Carolan
(Baroque mandolino)
3. El Diablo Come Burritos – C. Acquavella

(Baroque mandolino)
4. Polcha Variata - Persichini

5. Partita No II, BWV 1004 - JS Bach

6. Kleine Suite No. 2 - Kalberer

7. Moonlight on the Thames - de Pace

INTERMISSION

8. Piccola Gavotta, op73 – R. Calace

9. De sa modeste mere - Leone

10. El Duende from Estampes – J. C. Munoz

11. Imardin – C. Acquavella

12. Musette – E. Pakenham

Duets with guitarist Mark Davis:
13. Sonata in d minor, k89 – D. Scarlatti

14. Himmel uber Kyoto - Condin

15. Toccata – B. Israel

Encore - Fantasia no. 1 - T. Ochi

I am looking fwd to Chris' concert in New York tomorrow evening.