The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia Presents Mendelssohn | Villa-Lobos November 10, 11 and 12

    PHILADELPHIA, PA, October 31, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia's second concert of the 2013-2014 season features famed conductor James Judd and world-renowned classical guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas taking the stage in the Perelman Theater. Set between Elgar's popular Serenade and the melodic Swiss Symphony by Mendelssohn, Villa-Lobos' Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra brings a delightful Euro-Latin flavor to the program.

A founding resident company of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Chamber Orchestra's November 10 2:30 p.m. and November 11 7:30 p.m. concerts will be performed in the Kimmel Center's intimate Perelman Theater. The November 12 7:30 p.m. concert will be the Chamber Orchestra's debut performance at The Lincoln University, held in the International Cultural Center.

Tickets for Chamber Orchestra's November 10 and 11 concerts at the Kimmel Center are $24 to $81. The Sunday matinee performance will be followed by "Classical Conversations," a brief question-and-answer session with Executive Director Peter H. Gistelinck, Maestro Judd, and Mr. Sainz Villegas. The November 12 concert at The Lincoln University is free of charge and open to the public.

Edward Elgar | Serenade in E minor for String Orchestra
Composed in 1892, Elgar's Serenade was intended as a gift for his wife, Alice, on their third wedding anniversary. It is considered the precursor of a sequence of great English string orchestra works, including his own Introduction and Allegro, Vaughn Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, and Britten's Frank Bridge Variations.

Heitor Villa-Lobos | Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra
Villa-Lobos - Brazil's greatest composer yet - was known to not conform to anyone's expectations. A prime example of this is in his Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra, which does not adhere to the traditional concerto pattern. The soloist enters just four measures after the orchestral introduction, unlike most classical concertos, which have a long, elaborate opening prior to when the soloist begins. Additionally, instead of the usual way in which the soloist and ensemble are seemingly engaged in a battle, the interplay between the guitarist and the orchestra is seen as more of an amicable, shared conversation.

Felix Mendelssohn | Sinfonia No. 9 in C major for String Orchestra
At fourteen years of age, Mendelssohn wrote his Sinfonia No. 9 in C major for String Orchestra - one of his thirteen Sinfonias written for string orchestra between the ages of twelve and fourteen. Encompassing stunning mastery at such a young age, the intricately written piece contains a solemn introduction, which later reappears and dominates a final movement that also features his interpretation of a yodeling song Mendelssohn heard on a visit to Switzerland.

Guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas is hailed by critics as one of the world's leading classical guitarists. He has performed in the presence of the Dalai Lama and the Royal Family of Spain, and with numerous ensembles, including the Los Angeles, New York, and Israel Philharmonics, and the Boston and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras, among others. Mr. Sainz Villegas was the recipient of Spain's top classical music honor, El Ojo Critico, and won the Parkening International Guitar Competition, in addition to more than thirty other international awards. A champion and supporter of new repertoire for guitar, he performed the world premiere of Rounds, John Williams' first work written for guitar. Pablo Sainz Villegas is also the founder of "Music Without Borders Legacy," a program that seeks to bridge communities across cultural, social, and political borders.

British-born conductor James Judd is highly sought after for his passionate musicianship and charismatic presence both on and off the podium. In addition to his time as Music Director of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Judd has also conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Royal Philharmonic, and Baltimore Symphony orchestras, in addition to many other prestigious organizations throughout his distinguished career. His recordings are featured on the Naxos, Decca, EMI, and Philips labels. In 2008, Maestro Judd founded the Miami Music Project in South Florida, which provides education, instruction, and performance opportunities for hundreds of children from diverse and underserved communities throughout the city.

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The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia
Mendelssohn | Villa-Lobos

Sunday, November 10, 2013 at 2:30 PM
Monday, November 11, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts' Perelman Theater

Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30 PM
The Lincoln University's International Cultural Center

James Judd, conductor | Pablo Sainz Villegas, guitar

Program:
Elgar | Serenade in E minor for String Orchestra
Villa-Lobos | Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra, A. 501
Mendelssohn | Sinfonia No. 9 in C major

Tickets:
Kimmel Center: $24 - $81 | chamberorchestra.org or 215.893.1709
The Lincoln University: Free | 484.365.7434 (Groups of 10+ require reservation)

Contact: Dara N. Boyd, Director of Marketing and Interactive Media
215.545.5451 x31 | [email protected]

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