New Music Ensemble presents
Kandinsky Trio and Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar
The New Music Ensemble presents the Kandinsky Trio on Friday, February 24th at 8pm in Old Cabell Hall. The concert features the Kandinsky Trio with guest artists Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar, and Pete Spaar, bass. They will perform works by John D'earth and Kent Holliday. The concert is free and open to the public.
The program includes:
- In Memoriam: Karlrobert Kreiten by Kent Holliday (b. 1940)
- Silent Faustus by John D'earth (b. 1950)
- Natural Bridge by John D'earth (for chamber trio, acoustic bass, and jazz guitar)
The Kandinsky Trio has established itself as one of America's foremost chamber ensembles. Described as "spirited and persuasive" (American Record Guide's "Music in Concert"), and "virtuosity, with spine-tingling precision" (Cincinnati Enquirer), the Trio draws in new audiences with both its passionate performances of masterworks and innovative ideas in re-defining chamber music. The Trio is one of only six piano trios ever to win the prestigious Chamber Music America Residency Award and in 1999 was chosen by Senator Charles Robb to represent the Commonwealth of Virginia at the Kennedy Center's State Days series.
"Currently in residence at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, the Kandinsky Trio's musicians -- Elizabeth Bachelder, violin, Alan Weinstein, cello, and Benedict Goodfriend, piano-- have been performing together for 15 years...their approach to music can be characterized in general as warmly romantic, possessing great dynamic range and the kind of intuitive gestalt that only arises from musicians who thoroughly understand one another's ideas and playing styles." -from Fanfare 2003-
Pat Metheny says, "I admire the musician who makes the commitment to ask the harder musical questions that transcend the everyday issues of style and idiom. Such is Kurt Rosenwinkel - a thinking guitarist who is working hard to come up with musical answers that meet his own personal criteria of what music is and what it can be." The Boston Phoenix raves, "Kurt Rosenwinkel is the young jazz-guitar god of the moment - and with good reason." The Los Angeles Times continues "a gifted young artist - one with a promising future."
Such is the praise which hails Philadelphia native Kurt Rosenwinkel, who has asserted his role as one of the best guitarists of the new jazz generation. Kurt attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and then moved on to New York City where he joined Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band (of which he's still a member). Rosenwinkel, whose debut album The Enemies of Energy was released on Verve in January 2000, is constantly breaking new ground. Referring to his band, which was originally formed as a guitar-bass-drums trio in 1992, Rosenwinkel says, "We've grown up together. We're making the move from the past into the future and looking forward to the next step after this one."
Pete Spaar teaches double bass (both jazz and classical) and holds the Robert and Ruth Cross Principal Bass Chair in the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of the Richmond Symphony. Earning a master of Music degree from North Texas State University, he studied privately with Thomas Lederer, Principal bassist of Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The Free Bridge Quintet, a jazz group comprised of University of Virginia faculty, was formed at his suggestion in 1998. He has recorded with Robert Jospe's Inner Rhythm, the John D'earth Octet, John Gunnar Mossblad, Dave Leibman, Jeff Decker, Dawn Thompson and Carter Beauford. Spaar has worked with John D'earth on the Jazz Poetry Project, collaboration between poets and jazz musicians that focuses on the music inherent in language and on the use of music itself as a language. Spaar has also performed with Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker and Mose Allison, Emily Remler, David Amram, and Larry Coryell.
John D'earth, composer, trumpet player, jazz musician and arranger, teaches in the jazz program at the University of Virginia, producing and directing concerts with the UVa Jazz Ensemble; and continues to perform regularly with The Free Bridge Ensemble, the UVA Faculty Jazz Ensemble as well as his band on Thursday nights at Miller's, as well as free-lance on numerous other projects.
This performance is supported by the Provost's Office as an Arts Enhancement Event, given to increase the awareness of and support for the arts at the University of Virginia. In addition, this concert is partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For More Information on our Guest Artists, Please Visit:
www.roanoke.edu/kandinsky/
www.kurtrosenwinkel.com
www.vervemusicgroup.com
