The Violin Channel to Present The VC Orpheus Festival, Featuring Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

On Friday, April 24, 2020 and Saturday, April 25, 2020 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra takes over The Violin Channel's social media channels for the VC Orpheus Festival, sponsored by Rare Violins of New York. The two day online festival will feature Orpheus musicians in living room concerts, fun videos from home while observing social distancing measures, informative Q&As and full broadcasts of Orpheus concerts. The festival can be viewed on The Violin Channel's Facebook and Instagram pages and the Orpheus Facebook page.

The VC Orpheus Festival has a two-day fundraising goal of $25,000. Donations made during the festival will support the Orpheus Emergency Fund to bolster the orchestra's commitment to continue paying musicians and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations can be made at www.orpheusnyc.org/donate.

At 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, The Violin Channel will broadcast headlining concerts from the orchestra's archives. Highlights include Orpheus's August 2019 sold out performance presented by Naumburg Orchestral Concerts featuring works by Turina, Rodrigo, Piazzolla, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Manuel Ponce, plus bandoneon virtuoso JP Jofre in his own composition Tangodromo 1 for Bandoneon and Strings (2016) and Piazzolla's Adiós Nonino; Orpheus's October 2017 concert at 92Y featuring cellist Mischa Maisky in the US premiere of Dobrinka Tabakova's arrangement of Schubert's "Arpeggione" Sonata in A minor paired with Arensky's Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a and Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, Op. 48; and Orpheus's January 2016 performance at the outdoor Cartageña International Music Festival, which featured Carlos Chavez's Sarabande for Strings, a movement from Gnattali's Concerto for Harp and Strings featuring harpist Emmanuel Ceysson, Vivaldi's Cello Concerto in F Major with cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia, and Barber's Adagio for Strings. Watch Orpheus's Cartageña Promotional Video Here.

Preceding each evening concert will be a 6:00 p.m. ET live-from-home 30-minute Cooking Show with an Orpheus musician discussing what they are preparing for cocktails/drinks and dinner as well as the program of the upcoming concert and their experience performing with Orpheus.

During the day, the VC Orpheus Festival also features four "Living Room Live" concerts. Performers include violinist and Artistic Director Miho Saegusa, cellist Eric Bartlett, and violists Dana Kelley and Dov Scheindlin, who will also discuss Orpheus initiatives such as Access Orpheus, Orpheus Reflections, and the Orpheus Leadership Institute. Additional content includes a live "Ask Me Anything" Q&A conversation about the renowned Orpheus Process with cellist Jonathan Spitz; a "Heroes" discussion with recently elected Orpheus member musician, violinist Abigail Fayette, and Orpheus violinists Laura Frautschi and Richard Rood about acting as a concertmaster of a diplomatic, conductorless orchestra, mentorship within Orpheus, and how participation is encouraged from member musicians; a round table discussion with four Orpheus cellists, Eric Bartlett, Jonathan Spitz, James Wilson, and Melissa Meell; plus Violin Channel blog posts such as a "Desert Island Discs" feature with Orpheus and Orion String Quartet violinist Todd Phillips and a conversation with Orpheus Artistic Director and cellist James Wilson, quarantine photos from the musicians, giveaways, and more! Watch the Orpheus cellists' video thanking healthcare workers.

Orpheus has recently elected a new member, violinist Abigail Fayette, who has played with the orchestra since 2017, and associate member, bassist Gregg August.

Photo Credit: Zach Alan and Molina Visuals

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