Since their debut release in 1997, the Ireland-based quintet, Lúnasa, has earned critical acclaim for their blend of acoustic and improvisational music forms to create breathtaking arrangements. Comprised of some of the finest musicians in Ireland, Lúnasa’s members use distinctive wind and string instruments to expose the intricate rhythms of the Irish, jazz and bluegrass genres. The quintet has toured in Europe, Japan and Australia, and has performed at London’s Guinness Fleadh, the Montreaux Jazz Festival and the Chicago Celtic Festival.
Monthly Archives: May 2012
Apollo’s Fire – Come to the River
March 3, 2013 at 2:00 pmApollo’s Fire presents Come to the River, a musical voyage from the spiritual heights of an old American revival, to the driving rhythms of New England barn dances. Performed by four singer-actors, a hot-shot hammered dulcimer player, wooden flutes and a handful of early music artists, conductor Jeannette Sorrell and her crossover performers bring the rich tradition of sharp-note singing and southern harmony to life. Classic Music Magazine called Apollo’s Fire, “the U.S.A.’s hottest baroque band.”
Interpreti Veneziani
March 5, 2013 at 7:30 pmGainesville has become one of Interpreti Veneziani’s favorite stops, as they make their seventh appearance with UFPA. Specializing in Baroque music, the Italian string ensemble plays on original instruments, and their expertise as soloist and ensemble musicians has earned them an impeccable reputation around the world. In their home of Venice, Italy, they perform roughly 350 concerts, with more than 60,000 subscribers each season at the San Vidal Church, where Vivaldi played and his spirit still hangs strong.
SPECTICAST: Georges Bizet’s Carmen
March 10, 2013 at 3:00 pmStage director Martin Kušej conceived this powerful, contemporary vision of the Bizet classic with conductor Daniel Barenboim for the Staatsoper Berlin. Mezzo soprano Marina Domasheko plays the title role, singing famed arias that remain central to opera repertoire. The Frankfurt General Newspaper said of Rolando Villazon, who stars as Don José: “A perfect José, sung as he hasn’t been sung in a long time. This young Mexican tenor alone makes it worth seeing.” The spectacular, stark production design and exciting, sensual performances are not to be missed.
In French with English subtitles. Running time: 201 minutes.
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
March 13, 2013 at 7:30 pmRegarded as one of the finest chamber orchestras in the world, Academy of St Martin in the Fields is known for its polished and refined sound, rooted in outstanding musicianship. Formed in 1958, the Academy now performs some 100 concerts each year and is the first and only orchestra to be honored with the Queen’s Award for Export. Working without a conductor, the Academy continues to dazzle audiences. Pianist Inon Barnatan – winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and cellist Alisa Weilerstein – a MacArthur Foundation Fellow, join the orchestra for this performance.
Leipzig String Quartet
March 17, 2013 at 2:00 pmFor more than two decades, the Leipzig String Quartet has garnered the attention of international critics and audiences with its distinctly dark timbre and meticulously sculpted interpretations of a widely varied repertoire. Formed by the principals of the renowned Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the quartet continues to uphold the sound and integrity ascribed to the great orchestra.
Chick Corea and Béla Fleck
March 20, 2013 at 7:30 pmChick Corea and Béla Fleck – two master songwriters, musicians and band leaders – meet in a historic duet of piano and banjo. The Grammy-winning duet will combine Corea and Fleck’s most recognizable tunes with the music from their Latin Grammy-winning album The Enchantment! With a mix of jazz and pop standards, crossing a myriad of genres, from jazz, bluegrass, rock, flamenco and gospel, this will be a casual, intimate evening with two legends from different musical worlds.
David Holt and Josh Goforth
March 21, 2013 at 7:30 pmFour-time Grammy winner David Holt and acoustic musician Josh Goforth team up to share folklore stories and music. The duo utilizes multiple instruments – combining the rich sounds of banjo, mandolin and slide guitar along with unusual rhythm makers, including spoons, a jaw harp and even a paper bag. In this performance, the pair shares music gathered from the past 35 years, paying homage to old time Southern mountaineers, while lifting spirits of all ages.
Mark Morris Dance Group
March 22, 2013 at 7:30 pmFounded in 1980, the Mark Morris Dance Group is one of the world’s leading dance companies, and the only one performing exclusively with live music across the U.S. and at major international festivals. In the late ’80s, MMDG became the national dance company of Belgium, and spent three years in residence at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. Each of the company’s visits to Gainesville brings a unique and varied program, featuring composers from all genres. This performance is no exception, as it includes Morris’ most recent work, the acclaimed Festival Dance.
Beethoven Orchestra Bonn
March 23, 2013 at 7:30 pmFounded more than a century ago, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn has evolved into one of the best ensembles of its kind in Germany and has become a pillar of cultural life in Bonn and the surrounding region. The orchestra has completed successful tour dates and guest performances in some of the world’s greatest concert venues, from Carnegie Hall in New York to Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Beethoven Orchestra Bonn is the official orchestra of the historic Bonn Opera House, where it plays 115 concerts every year. Well known for his Beethoven interpretations, pianist Louis Lortie joins the ensemble for this performance.
Click here to view the program.
John Williams and John Etheridge, Guitars
March 24, 2013 at 7:30 pmLegendary guitarists John Williams and John Etheridge go back more than a decade to the formation of The Magic Box, which toured for three years. Williams and Etheridge eventually became a duo, first recording Live in Dublin for Sony Records and eventually touring the world in esteemed venues including Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, Sydney Opera House and Hamer Hall. The two Johns play an eclectic mix that illuminates their diverse skills – complementing one another and bringing to the table a vast wealth of musical experiences across all genres.
The Last Flight of Petr Ginz
March 28, 2013 at 6:30 pmFREE FILM SCREENING, March 28
By age 14 Petr Ginz had written five novels and penned a diary about the Nazi occupation of Prague. By 16 he had produced more than 170 drawings and paintings, edited an underground magazine in the Theresienstadt Ghetto, written numerous short stories and had walked to the gas chamber at Auschwitz.
But this is a story of celebration as well as tragedy. The film combines animation, art and live action in a testament to how a boy’s creative expression represents the best of what makes us human.
*Pre-program at 6:30 p.m. 53-minute film begins at 7 p.m., followed by a 30-minute panel discussion led by UF professor and the film’s co-director Dr. Churchill Roberts.
Sydney Taussig – one of the few survivors of Terezin who knew Ginz and lived in the same barrack – will also participate in the panel discussion. Taussig was responsible for hiding and saving the magazine, Vedem, which Ginz edited.
One Night of Queen – Performed by Gary Mullen and The Works
March 30, 2013 at 7:30 pmPrepare for a nostalgic return to Queen’s heyday as this phenomenal spectacle rock-n-roll show, equipped with dynamic lighting and special effects, pays tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time. More than a tribute band, The Works – led by Gary Mullen – delivers the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of the group responsible for timeless anthems, including We Will Rock You, Bohemian Rhapsody, Another One Bites the Dust, Fat Bottomed Girls and We Are the Champions.