Tenri Cultural Institute Presents The Chamber Music of Dana Dimitri Richardson

Tenri Cultural Institute proudly presents The Chamber Music of Dana Dimitri Richardson on Sunday, October 14th at 3pm. The program features world premieres and recent works performed by pianists Craig Ketter, Simon Mulligan, and Cathy Callis, soprano Jacqueline Milena Thompson, saxophonist Mark Engebretson, and Canta Libre Chamber Ensemble.

Dana Richardson's music is syntonal, a system of harmony that supports dramatic narrative and melodic lyricism. The signature piece of the concert, The Mermaid, performed by pianist Craig Ketter, is a tone poem portraying the mermaid in her mythical role as temptress. Craig regularly joins forces with international singers and chamber groups. Venues include NPR's Performance Today series, CBS Sunday Morning, Sirius Satellite Radio, Carnegie Hall, and Avery Fisher Hall. Craig will also perform selections from Richardson's Twelve Preludes and Fugues.

The pianist, Simon Mulligan, whose collaborations include performances and recordings with Yehudi Menuhin, Joshua Bell, Leonard Slatkin and Sting, will perform Dark Light. The piece exploits pianistic textures to explore different aspects of light and darkness. It is dedicated to Simon Mulligan.

The Kyrie, performed by the soprano Jacqueline Milena Thompson and Simon Mulligan is a personal statement that references Gregorian chant and the Christe from Bach's B minor Mass. Jacqueline's opera roles include: the three heroines in The Tales of Hoffman, Manon in Massenet's Manon, Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata which she first performed under the baton of Maestro Steven White, Lucia in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Musetta in La Bohéme, Adina in L'elisir d'amore, and Gilda in Rigoletta.

Mark Engebretson will perform Heartbreaker for tenor saxophone solo, which is a take-off on the well-known Led Zeppelin riff. In addition to being a saxophone virtuoso who has recorded for Innova and Albany records, Mark is a composer who is a recipient of a Barlow Commission and commissions from Harvard University's Fromm Music Foundation among others. Heartbreaker is dedicated to him.

Serenity, a short piece in three parts dedicated to Dana's late friend Eva Hampton, will be performed by pianist Cathy Callis. Cathy has premiered works by Vincent Persichetti, Louis Karchin, Daria Semegen, Ted McIrvine, Don Freund, and Dana Richardson. She won a grand prize for her performance of George Crumb's Makrokosmos, Volume I by the American College of Musicians' International Recording Competition.

The concert is anchored by the quintet, The Joy of Being, for flute, harp, violin, viola and cello, performed by the Canta Libre Chamber Ensemble. The piece projects the sunny, extroverted side of Richardson's oeuvre. The performers in Canta Libre are:

Sally Shorrock's (flute) musical appearances include Barge Music, Channel 21 Public Television, and the Musical Festival of the Hamptons.

Karen Lindquist (harp) has been heard as soloist with major orchestras across the United States and in Europe including: the National Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the Vienna Austria Symphony.

Bradley Bosenbeck (violin) has collaborated with such luminaries as Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Dutoit, and John Williams and has performed for President Barack Obama, Dr. James Watson, and other Nobel Prize winners.

Veronica Salas (viola) has performed as a soloist with The Aspen Festival Orchestra, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of New York, and the Westfield Symphony of which she is the principal violist.

Bernard Tamosaitis (cellist) served as the principal cellist of the Bellas Artes orchestra of Mexico City and is currently performing with the Mazlo Trio and Ridgefield Symphony.

There will be a reception immediately following the concert. All are welcome.

Sunday, October 14, 2018 at 3pm
Tenri Cultural Institute
43A West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011
212-645-2800
Subway: F/V/L to 14th St. & 6th Ave.; 1/2/3 to 14th St. & 7th Ave.;
N/Q/R/W/4/5/6 to 14th St. Union Square
Admission: $20 until 9/15; $30 after 9/15 and at the door
For Tickets, call 1-800-838-3006 or visit:
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/350887