4 past events with the cello tag

Concert I - Thursday, May 27 - 8:00 p.m.
Sursa Hall

Participating Artists
Elizabeth Crawford, clarinet - James Helton, piano
Ray Kilburn, piano - Mary Kothman, violin - Peter Opie, cello
Lori Rhoden, piano - Keith Sweger, bassoon
Hikaru Tamaki, cello - Mihoko Watanabe, flute

Assibio a Jato (The Jet Whistle) - Heitor Villa-Lobos
I. Allegro non troppo
II. Adagio
III. Vivo
Mihoko Watanabe - Peter Opie

Piano Trio No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 1, No. 3 - Ludwig van Beethoven
Allegro con brio
Andante contabile con variazoni
Menuetto: Quasi allegro
Finale: Prestissimo
Lori Rhoden - Mary Kothman - Hikaru Tamaki

. . . Intermission . . .

Meditations on Yeats - Donald Grantham
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
A Cradle Song
Crazy Jane Talks with the Bishop
The Song of the Old Mother
Crazy Jane on God
Sweet Dancer
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
Mary Kothman - Elizabeth Crawford - James Helton

Trio, Op. 61, No. 6 - Francois Devienne
Allegro espressivo
Presto non troppo
Mihoko Watanabe - Elizabeth Crawford - Keith Sweger

Two Tangos - Astor Piazzolla
Milonga Sin Palabras
Night Club 1960
Mihoko Watanabe - Ray Kilburn

A singularly unique ensemble, the Rastrelli Cello Quartet has been thrilling audiences with their renderings of non-traditional programming since 2002. Kira Kraftzoff - founder and artistic director, Kirill Timofeev, Misha Degtjareff and Sergio Drabkin formed the ensemble with a mission to perform music "between the genres," and their widely varied programs mix comfortably works by Bach, Saint-Saens and Tchaikovsky with that of George Gershwin, Dave Brubeck and Leroy Anderson. The name of the Quartet is taken from the eighteenth-century architect Bartholomew Rastrelli, who designed the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the home city of three of the four Quartet members. The Rastrelli Quartet currently has five recordings (Rastrelli, Volumes 1-5) on the Solo Musica, TonArt and Manchester labels, as well as a 2008 release with music by Piazzolla entitled "Cello in Buenos-Aires." In 2009, the Rastrelli Quartet's CD "Cello in Classic" was nominated for a Russian Grammy and was given a second prize award.

Astral Mixtape is one of the most exciting new music ensembles with "out-of-this-world sounds" presenting a "one-of-kind event" to quote their most recent host, Meadowlark Music Festival Lincoln, Nebraska. Astral Mixtape is a multifaceted band based in Los Angeles, Astral Mixtape blends classical instrumental virtuosity with the sounds of their generation. They collaboratively create and perform original compositions and arrangements using a unique line-up of two violins, a cello, a piano, a synthesizer, and electronics. Their music combines the spectacle of pop, the spontaneity of jazz, and the experimentation of contemporary music. 

Beyond their cutting-edge performances in clubs and concert halls, the quartet has contributed to the soundtracks of numerous short films. Many of these films – such as Leaving the Factory, Broken Layers, and Ink – have won prizes at Cannes and BAFTA film festivals. Most recently, the quartet was named a winner of the prestigious Astral Artists National Competition.