MusicaNova Orchestra to Open 2015-16 Concert Season with THE COLORS OF MUSIC, 11/1

Phoenix, AZ -- MusicaNova Orchestra opens its concert season on Sunday, November 1 with "The Colors of Music," a concert featuring the orchestra débuts of two exciting Valley artists and thrilling music from 20th and 21st Century composers. The program is based on the orchestra's mission to bring Valley audiences great new and neglected musical works and to introduce great new musical talent.

"The pieces on our program depend on the sounds-or colors-of the instruments for their effect and appeal," said Conductor Warren Cohen. "All of the works are beautiful, and they all rely on the colorful beauty of sound even more than their great structure, interesting harmonies, and memorable tunes to make their point."

Violinist Bobae Johnson of Phoenix is the featured soloist on Russian émigré composer and violin virtuoso Julius Conus's Concerto in E Minor, made famous to American audiences by the Jascha Heifetz recording. Known for its long melodic lines and the ineffable beauty of its slower passages, it's also a technical showpiece in the manner of Paganini, written to show off the composer's own astounding skills. Johnson, a junior at Desert Vista High in Phoenix, is principal violinist and concertmaster of the Phoenix Youth Symphony.

The world premiere of Symphonic Dance No. 1 marks the introduction of MusicaNova Composition Fellow Karalyn Schubring of Gilbert to the symphonic stage. Schubring, who has been composing since the age of six, is a senior at Chandler Preparatory Academy. She was one of ten composers under age 18 selected for the 2015 Young Artists Composition Program at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and recently won a Zoni Award for her music for the play Arya's Rock, commissioned by the East Valley Children's Theatre.

Other works in the concert include Visions and Miracles by contemporary American composer Christopher Theofanidis, a celebration of hope and the power of love, and El Amor Brujo (or "Love, The Sorcerer") by Spanish composer Manuel De Falla. Originally a ballet, it tells the story of a young woman haunted by the ghost of her jealous dead husband, and features the well-known Ritual Fire Dance. MusicaNova presents the full work, with numbers intended for voice transcribed to solo passages for English horn and violin.

Conductor Cohen summarized, saying: "At the end of the concert we hope that everyone there has a much better understanding of how color alone can be a huge element in making music appealing and approachable."

The concert is November 1 at 4 PM, in the sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church, at Central Avenue and Palm Lane in the Phoenix Central Arts District. Tickets are $20 general admission and $15 for seniors and students, available at www.musicanovaaz.com and at the door. Youth under 18 are free when accompanied by a paying adult.

For tickets, a schedule of events and performances around the Valley, and information about the orchestra, visit the website at www.musicanovaaz.com .

The MusicaNova Orchestra plays great new and neglected classical music -- not the same "greatest hits" you hear everywhere -- and presents the finest emerging talent. Founded in 2003 and led by Music director Warren Cohen, the Orchestra challenges itself with new works, neglected works that should be heard, and new interpretations of the classics. Its Composition Fellows Program and Young Artists Concerts Series give voice to extraordinarily talented young musicians, and the Educational Outreach and Collaboration Program partners with area schools to bring the joy of playing and hearing great music to many who might not otherwise have the opportunity.

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