Meridian Performances Presents PEGASUS: The Orchestra And Baroque Brilliance

Pegasus: The Orchestra opens Meridian at DiMenna on November 15 with energetic performances of Bach's magnificent Brandenburg Concerti No. 4 and No. 5 and Vivaldi's Trio Sonata, featuring soloists Eiko Kano, violin, Kaori Fujii, flute, and Karén Hakobyan, conductor/harpsichord.

When asked how he selected repertoire for the concert, Hakobyan declared that he felt compelled to tackle gloriously virtuosic Baroque music that would highlight the technical prowess and expressive artistry of his ensemble's soloists. "The Brandenberg Concerti are well-known as the pinnacle of Bach's genius, and Vivaldi's Trio Sonata is similar in its dizzying difficulty for the players, as well as its soaring delights for the audience. Our players in Pegasus hold themselves to the highest musical standards, and we are elated to bring our very best to DiMenna for this memorable evening."

Celebrating its fifth season, Pegasus: The Orchestra has been heard at Merkin Concert Hall, on Al Jazeera, Voice of America TV network, WGCH, WQXR, and WSKG Radio. Orchestra founder and principal conductor Karén Hakobyan expressed his passion for bringing Bach's music to life again: "Bach's creative genius never ceases to amaze me, every time I come back to his music, I discover limitless possibilities to explore. Every time we perform his Brandenburg Concerti, we feel like it was JUST composed yesterday."

Soloists for the November 15 Meridian at Merkin Concert

Composer-arranger and conductor Karén Hakobyan is the founder, principal conductor, and artistic director of Pegasus: The Orchestra. In this concert, he conducts from the harpsichord. Described as "a musician of abundant gifts and bountiful ideas" by New York Concert Review, and "an immensely talented and dynamic performer" by Deseret Morning News, the Armenian-American Hakobyan is a versatile force on the international music scene. Since his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of seventeen, he has performed in major concert halls in Armenia, Argentina, Mexico, Germany, UK, Belgium, France, Japan, and the US.

Praised as an artist with "electrifying intensity and lyrical expression" by Kyoto Newspaper and "mesmerizing interpreter" by Ongakuno-Tomo Magazine, Japanese violinist Eiko Kano is known for her sensational and dynamic performances. Eiko collaborates frequently with distinguished artists such as principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic Albrecht Meyer, Eugene Drucker of the Emerson Quartet, and Glenn Dicterow. As a recognition of her achievements, Eiko was loaned the precious "Wilhelmj" Stradivarius violin by Nippon Music Foundation.

Born in Tokyo and residing in New York, Kaori Fujii is an internationally acclaimed flutist, educator, and a philanthropist . Kaori has performed with such renowned artists as composer Ennio Morricone , oboist Albrecht Mayer, pianists Phillip Moll and Stanislav Bunin, the Vienna Piano Quartet, Sinfonia Varsovia, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Suk Chamber Music Orchestra..

More About Meridian Performances

The remainder of Meridian's season includes multiple returns to Merkin Hall with three of the world's most thrilling pianists: the programs of Vyacheslav Gryaznov and Florian Noack combine their own transcriptions with original solo piano works by other composers; and Asiya Korepanova does the impossible and performs all 24 Liszt Etudes in one concert, the only living pianist who does. The organization's second DiMenna performance showcases a return by pianist-conductor-composer Karén Hakobyan with acclaimed cellist Sergey Antonov in performances of beloved works for piano and cello by Rachmaninoff, Piazzolla, and more..

Founded in 2018, Meridian Performances began as salon concerts in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut. With each succeeding season, the series has grown in both size and stature. Meridian has carefully chosen six concerts for its 2022-2023 presentations, bringing internationally acclaimed talent and a kaleidoscopic variety of repertoire to New York and making them affordable.

For more information on Meridian Performances, visit ccaml.com.