Philharmonic Society Presents VOICE & THE VIOLIN With Joshua Bell & Larisa Martínez

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County will present "Voice & the Violin," featuring husband and wife duo-world-renowned soprano Larisa Martínez and Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell alongside longtime collaborator and pianist, Peter Dugan.

This highly anticipated event showcases a captivating repertoire of beloved art song and opera and modern classics, to musical theater taking place at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, on May 5, 2024. This concert is sponsored by the Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation with additional support from The Segerstrom Foundation.

In a statement, Martínez and Bell said, "Our concept for the 'Voice and the Violin' program began during the pandemic, while we were quarantined and finding new ways to collaborate and enjoy music together. Although finding repertoire written specifically for violin and voice can be a challenge, we discovered and fell in love with these gems featured in tonight's performance."

This season, Bell and Martínez continue to tour their "Voice & the Violin" program. This program spans a diverse repertoire, encompassing classical art, song, opera, musical theater, and a selection of works by esteemed Puerto Rican and Spanish composers. Over the last two years, "Voice and the Violin" has been presented at the Brevard Music Center, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Chautauqua Amphitheater, with the Hawaii Symphony, and at the Ravinia Festival, among others.

Puerto Rican opera singer Larisa Martínez has been praised and sought after for her "smoky soprano" (Opera News), gracing many of the world's top stages, and collaborating with several household names of today. Martínez made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2019, singing Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the Athens Philharmonic. She made her Kennedy Center debut that same year. She has toured for the last several years with tenor Andrea Bocelli, debuting at Madison Square Garden, Hollywood Bowl and other major venues throughout North America, South America, and Europe.

With a career spanning almost four decades, GRAMMY Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. Bell has performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world, and continues to maintain engagements as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, conductor, and as the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Bell's other accolades include being named "Instrumentalist of the Year" by Musical America, deemed a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum, receiving the Avery Fisher Prize, and being named an "Indiana Living Legend" in 2000.

A sought-after multi-genre artist, pianist Peter Dugan has performed in duos and trios with artists ranging from Itzhak Perlman and Renée Fleming to Jesse Colin Young and Glenn Close. The Wall Street Journal described Mr. Dugan's collaboration with violinist Charles Yang as a "classical-meets-rockstar duo." Mr. Dugan has been presented in chamber music recitals by Carnegie Hall, Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Music at Menlo, Moab Music Festival, and recently in recital with Joshua Bell at the Minnesota Beethoven Festival. He was the 2019 featured recitalist for the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, and has soloed with the San Francisco Symphony, Houston Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, New World Symphony, and Mid-Texas Symphony.

TICKETS

Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Ticket prices for this concert start at $48 and are available at the Philharmonic Society box office at (949) 553-2422, or online at www.philharmonicsociety.org.

ABOUT THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY:

Founded in 1954 as Orange County's first music organization, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents national and international performances of the highest quality and provides dynamic and innovative music education programs for individuals of all ages to enhance the lives of Orange County audiences through music.

Since its inception, the Philharmonic Society has evolved and grown with the county's changing landscape, presenting artists and orchestras who set the standard for artistic achievement from Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Yo-Yo Ma, and Renée Fleming to the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and many others. In addition, the Philharmonic Society celebrates multi-disciplinary performances under its Eclectic Orange brand and embraces music from a wide range of countries with its World Music performances. Its celebrated family concerts introduce children to classical music with creative and inspiring performances, instilling music appreciation for future generations.

The Philharmonic Society's nationally recognized Youth Music Education Programs, offered free of charge, engage more than 100,000 students annually through curriculum-based music education programs that aim to inspire, expand imaginations, and encourage learning at all levels. These programs are made possible by the Committees of the Philharmonic Society comprised of 500 volunteer members who provide more than 90,000 hours of in-kind service each year. As a key youth program, the exceptional Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble provide top-tier training to the area's most talented young musicians through multi-level ensemble instruction, leadership training, touring opportunities, challenging professional repertoire, and performances in world-class venues. The Philharmonic Society also promotes life-long learning by connecting with colleges and universities to conduct masterclasses and workshops and providing pre-concert lectures to introduce audiences to program selections.

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