MUSicanova Chamber Orchestra presents THE MUSIC OF FRIENDS

MusicaNova Chamber Orchestra presents an afternoon of fine music on Sunday, February 19 at 3 PM at the Scottsdale Presbyterian Church, 3421 North Hayden Road (at Osborn). Admission is free; donations to support the community concert series are accepted.

Because of its intimate setting, with small groups of musicians playing in close proximity to the listeners, chamber music has been called "the music of friends." The German poet Johann von Goethe described it as "rational people conversing," a much-needed respite these days.

Returning to the Chamber Orchestra stage are Valley favorites Joy Pan and Lan Qiuas duo soloists in J. S. Bach's Concerto in C Minor for Two Violins. Their last appearance with the Chamber Orchestra in the 2015 season was a standing-room only event. They're joined by Jessica Zhang, 14, a freshman at Tempe's Corona del Sol High School, as soloist in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-Flat, "Jeunehomme." Winner of the 2016 Arizona Musicfest and Steinway Avanti Future Stars piano competitions, Jessica appeared earlier this season in the MusicaNova Young Artists Concert Series.

Also on the orchestra's program are Haydn's Symphony No. 44 in E Minor "Trauer" (Mourning) which he asked to be played at his funeral, and the world premiere of contemporary American composer and conductor Kevin Scott's Introduction and Allegro. Described as "a tireless advocate of new, unknown or unjustly neglected composers," Scott's vision is fully aligned with MusicaNova's mission to bring the finest new and neglected music to the Valley of the Sun.

Special guest, the 40-member Harmony Project-Phoenix Ensemble, led by Diogo Pereira, opens the program with selections from their repertoire. The young players in the ensemble have been studying their instruments for two years or less with volunteer teachers from around the Valley. Harmony Project-Phoenix is an education partner of MusicaNova.

MusicaNova Orchestra is a professional symphony orchestra founded in 2003 and dedicated to playing new and neglected music and introducing the finest new artists to the Valley of the Sun. MusicaNova is supported in part by grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. Call 480-585-4485, or visit www.musicanovaaz.com.