Russian musicians open classical series at Gobin

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Greencastle Summer Classical Music Festival (greencastlesummermusic.blogspot.com) begins its fifth season of 13 weekly Wednesday evening concerts (continuing though Aug. 19) at 7:30 p.m. today in the sanctuary of Greencastle's Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church. The "grand opening" concert features music by Poulenc, Debussy, Minkov, Mozart and Brahms performed by three Russian-born musicians: oboist Leonid Sirotkin and the husband/wife "Duo Amabile" of pianist Katya Kramer and violinist Matvey Lapin.

All concerts are free and open to the public with free-will donations accepted. Festival artistic director Eric Edberg said he is delighted with the wide array of artists performing this summer.

"Our concerts are performed in a relaxed, come-as-you-are environment," Edberg said. "The performers speak to the audience during the concert and mingle and chat afterwards. If you've never been to a classical music concert before, it's a great introduction. Many people have told me that these concerts are the highlights of their summer in Greencastle.

"And look at the quality of our performers," he added. "How marvelous it is that in a small town like Greencastle you can hear a concert with musicians who have performed in major international concert halls."

Leonid Sirotkin is a native of St. Petersburg, Russia where he received his BM and MM from St. Petersburg State Conservatory. For almost a decade, Sirtkin has been a principal English hornist with the Kirov Opera and Symphony Orchestra under Valery Gergiev and has toured internationally with the Orchestra performing at Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Avery Fisher Hall, Kennedy Center, Covent Garden, La Scala, and Concertgebouw among other venues.

He has performed as a soloist with Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Bogota Opera Orchestra of Theatro Colon and Kuopio Symphony Orchestra. His chamber music festival appearances include Kuhmo International Chamber Music Festival, Finland, Kostamuksha Music Festival, Russia, Lucca Music Festival, Lucca, Italy.

He was featured as a lecturer on the IDRS International conference in 2006. Leonid is a regular substitute player with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and has toured with CSO to Japan and Europe. He has recorded more than 35 CDs with Kirov Orchestra and 5 Cds with Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra. In 2000, Sirotkin published the book, "Orchestral Excerpts for oboe and English horn from operas and ballets by Tchaikovsky." He is currently a DMA candidate at Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Sirotkin's major teachers include Dr. Valery Sobolev and Dr. Mark Ostoich.

Since its 2003 debut, Duo Amabile has presented violin and piano recitals to enthusiastic audiences throughout the United States. Married since 2004, Matvey and Katya Lapin bring to their collaborations virtuosity, enthusiasm, and striking passion. Their repertoire ranges from 18th to 21st century music, and includes works by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Bartok, among many others.

Equally at ease with the standard repertoire, the Duo's offerings range from Rachmaninov to Pärt, and include contemporary works especially written for them. Popular with young audiences, they present Lecture-Performances and Workshops in conjunction with their concerts. Currently, Duo Amabile performs extensively throughout the country.

An active soloist and chamber collaborator, Matvey Lapin has performed across the United States, Europe, Russia, Japan and Korea at such venues as Concertgebouw Hall, Gewandhaus, Milan Conservatory and the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Matvey hails from St. Petersburg, Russia. He is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree at the IU Jacobs School of Music and is a student with Ik-Hwan Bae. Mr. Lapin graduated from the St. Petersburg State Conservatory (Russia), where he completed his Undergraduate, Graduate, and Post-Graduate Courses in violin performance. He has been a recipient or several awards, including the 3rd prize at the Locatelli Concours international competition (Amsterdam, 1995), the special grant from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation (2000), and the Gartow Scholarship in Germany, 1997. Matvey had also been awarded a grant to participate at the Holland Music Sessions master class series (Netherlands, 1995). During 2002-03 he was a member of the Grammy Award winner, world renowned St. Petersburg String Quartet (formerly Quartet-in-residence at Oberlin College-Conservatory).

Internationally recognized solo pianist and chamber musician, Katya Kramer-Lapin is currently working on her Artist Diploma program at IU Jacobs School of Music, studying under Professor Shigeo Neriki. Katya received her Master's degree and Performer's Diploma at IU School of Music as well. She received her Bachelor's degrees at Oberlin College Conservatory and Hochschule fur Musik in Cologne (Germany). Katya's concerts include appearances at the 25th Anniversary of the UNESCO, held at its Headquarters, (Paris, France), sponsored by the Pope Paul John Second, chamber recital, representing young opera artists of Bolshoy Theater, dedicated to the visit of Renata Scotta (Moscow, Russia), solo concerts at the World Bank (Washington, DC), concert tours to Taiwan and Europe, as well as frequent collaboration with the soloists of the New York Philharmonic and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestras. Katya is a former scholar of the "Russian Arts Help" Charity Foundation, sponsored by Maestro Rostropovitch. Katya received several awards from international competitions which include Rudolf Serkin Piano competition, Matinee Piano Competition in Indianapolis, IN, and the "Forum of Young Pianists" (Athens, Greece).

The full summer schedule is:

May 27: Oboist Leonid Sirotkin and the husband/wife "Duo Amabile" (pianist Katya Kramer and violinist Matvey Lapin) perform works by Poulenc, Debussy, Minkov, Mozart, and Brahms

June 3: The DePauw Woodwind Quintet Anne Reynolds (flute), Leonid Sirotikin (oboe), Randy Salman (clarinet), Kara Stolle (bassoon), and Rob Danforth (French horn)

June 10: Internationally-renowned violinist Federico Agostini is joined by cellist Eric Edberg and pianist Nariaki Sugiura in chamber works by Haydn, Ravel, and Mendelssohn

June 17: DePauw University Voice Faculty A diverse program performed by Pamela Coburn, Barbara Paré, Keith Tonne, Caroline Smith, and Jay White with assisting artists including pianist John Clodfelter

June 24: Korean cellist Yeon Ji Yun and Japanese pianist Nariaki Sugiura

July 1: Cellist Kirsten Landowne and pianist/composer Carlos Carrillo in a special "farewell to the Carrillos" concert featuring a work composed for the occasion by Dr. Carrillo, performed by various DePauw and area musicians.

July 8: Pianist Judith Edberg (retired University of Tampa piano professor) performs "An Evening with Johannes Brahms"

July 15: "Music of the Fears" Improvisations featuring Ball State saxophone and peace studies professor George Wolfe (named one of the "100 Most Dangerous Professors in America) and cellist Eric Edberg

July 22: Ensemble Voltaire, Indianapolis's premiere early-music group, featuring IU professor flutist Barbara Kallaur, violinist Allison Guest Edberg, and harpsichordist Tom Gerber

July 29: Clarinetist Gareth Guest and pianist Martha Krasnican

August 5: Cellist Margot Marlatt

August 12: Soprano Barbara Paré, violist Nicole Brockmann, and pianist John Clodfelter

August 19: "Grand Finale" concert featuring pianist May Phang

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