Getting a Handle on Handel George Frideric Handel’S Musical Journey
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Getting a Handle on Handel George Frideric Handel’s Musical Journey Saturday, January 4, at 7:30 PM Redeemer Presbyterian Church Sunday, January 5, at 3:00 PM 2111 Alexander Ave, Austin , TX Getting a Handle on Handel The Musical Journey of George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) I. In Hamburg (1703 - 1706) Der Himmel wird strafen dein falsches Gemüth, from Almira, HWV 1 Gitanjali Mathur, soprano Du irrst dich, mein Licht, from Almira, HWV 1 Steven Brennfleck, tenor, Arash Noori, theorbo, Pedro Funes, bass Grave and Allegro from Oboe Concerto in G minor, HWV287 Sarah Davol, oboe II. In Rome (1706 - 1710) Beatus vir, from Nisi Dominus, HWV 238 Steven Brennfleck, tenor Tecum principium, from Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 Gitanjali Mathur, soprano Passacaille, from the overture to Rodrigo, HWV 5 Stephen Redfield, violin Col partir, from Ah, che purtroppo e vero, HWV 77 Steven Brennfleck, tenor Voli, per l'Aria, from Tra le Fiamme, HWV 170 Gitanjali Mathur, soprano, Eric Smith, gamba Organ Sonata from Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, HWV 46 (one movement) Keith Womer, organ INTERMISSION 2 III. In London (1710 - 1759) Let Festal Joy Triumphant Reign, from Balshazzar, HWV 61 Steven Brennfleck, tenor Softly Sweet in Lydian Measure, from Alexander's Feast, HWV 75 Gitanjali Mathur, soprano, Eric Smith cello, Arash Noori, theorbo Vivace, from Concerto Grosso in D major, op 3, no 6, HWV 317 Musette, from Concerto Grosso in G minor, op 6, no 6, HWV 324 As steals the morn, from L'Allegro, Il Penseroso, ed il Moderato, HWV 55 Gitanjali Mathur, soprano, Steven Brennfleck, tenor, Sarah Davol, oboe, Patty Fagan-Miller, bassoon Happy We, from Acis and Galtea, HWV 48a Gitanjali Mathur, soprano, Steven Brennfleck, tenor Montreal-born Dianne Donovan lives and loves music. As midday announcer on KMFA, she shares her joy and passion of classical music, along with interesting tidbits of information on the composers and their music. She uses her natural curiosity and interest in the artistic process when she conducts both live interviews and those for the show she hosts, produces, and edits, Classical Austin.When she’s not talking music, she’s singing it with: The Beat Divas, The Austin Jazz Workshop, various other settings in Austin. She has been the featured singer with “Gary Guthman’s Tribute to Harry James Symphony Pops Concert” and has been a featured singer on numerous Canadian television and radio programs. She has collaborated writing music for television and an animated short. Dianne has two jazz CDs to her credit. 3 Gitanjali Mathur, soprano, is hailed as having “sky-rocketing coloratura,” “fluid and dexterous voice,” “piercingly clear so- prano”, and being a “natural and convincing comedic actress.” She performs regularly with Texas Early Music Project, En- semble viii, True Concord, the Victoria Bach Festival, GRAM- MY®-nominated ensemble Seraphic Fire and the GRAMMY® -winning ensemble Conspirare. Ms. Mathur was nominated in 2018 in the Austin Critics Table Awards for “Classical Best Singer”. She made her solo Carnegie Hall debut with Helmuth Rilling in J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. She enjoys being a soloist with Panoramic Voices, The Concordia University Choir, and La Follia Baroque. She has performed in France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and Norway. Praised by the New York Times as “dramatically astute” and a “stand out” performer, tenor Steven Brennfleck has been consistently acknowledged for his consummate artistry, vocal flexibility, and moving interpretations on the operatic and concert stage. His operatic credits include performances with Alamo City Opera, American Opera Projects, Glimmerglass Opera, Portland Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, and the Tanglewood Festival. Mr. Brennfleck made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2012 and returned for performances with the MET Chamber Ensemble in 2014. Other recent collaborations include concert appearances with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Handel Choir of Baltimore, LA International New Music Festival, and the Victoria Bach Festival. In addition to his performance schedule, he is also conductor of the Ars Longa Ensemble based in Austin, TX, and a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. Sarah Davol, oboe, recorder, enjoys a career performing on historical and modern oboes throughout North America and Europe. She is delighted to return to play Bach with La Follia Austin Baroque. In Texas she has also performed with Hou- ston Chamber Choir, Orchestra of New Spain, Texas Camerata and Bach Society Houston. She is a founding member of American Classical Orchestra in New York, and has been fea- tured as soloist with Amor Artis, Big Apple Baroque, Concert Royal, Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, Vox Ama Deus, Wash- ington Bach Consort and more. She plays regularly with the Trinity Wall Street "Bach at One" series in NYC. As composer, Fanfare Maga- zine called her "Gulf Migration" (inspired by a trip to the Gulf while playing at the Victoria Bach Festival) "a wonderfully descriptive work". 4 Stephen Redfield, violin, concertmaster, also leads the orchestras of Conspirare, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Arizona Bach Festival and Victoria Bach Festival. A long-time participant with the Oregon Bach Festival, he has performed there as concertmaster, principal and soloist, and has participated in numerous recordings includ- ing the Grammy® award-winning disc Credo. Stephen served for five years as Assistant Concertmaster with the Austin Symphony while earning a doctorate at the University of Texas. He also per- forms internationally as a soloist and a chamber musician on both modern and Baroque violin. Stephen teaches violin at the Univer- sity of Southern Mississippi School of Music, where he joins his colleagues in the Impromptu Piano Trio. In 2019, Stephen received the Austin Critics Table award for best classical instrumentalist. Eric Smith, cello, gamba, has been praised by critics for his “flawless lightness and grace” and called “the very model of an elegant cellist”. Eric is a multi-faceted musician, performing early music on period instruments, to contemporary mu- sic. As a soloist, chamber musician, and continuo player, Eric has collaborated with the Dallas Bach Society, Orchestra of New Spain, Texas Camerata, Ars Lyrica Houston, Sonare, Ensemble VIII, Denton Bach Society, Dallas Chamber Players, Bach Society of Houston, New York’s Concert Royal, and the New York Baroque Dance Company. His recordings have been heard on both NPR’s Performance Today, and Public Radio International, and he was featured in an interview in the 125th Anniversary issue of The Strad magazine. Noted as “the compelling” guitarist and “the fine” lutenist by The New York Times, Arash Noori, theorbo, performs throughout North America and Europe on lutes and guitars as both recitalist and accompanist. Arash has appeared in performances with Les Arts Florissants, Early Music New York, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Piffaro: The Renaissance Band, Ars Lyrica, Opera Lafayette, the Folger Consort, Repast Baroque, the Sebastians, Academy of Sacred Drama, ARTEK, and NOVUS NY of Trinity Wall Street amongst others. He has garnered rave reviews from The New York Times, New Yorker, Boston Globe, Opera News, and The Wall Street Journal amongst others. A graduate of Yale and the Juilliard School, Arash currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Early Music at the University of North Texas College of Music. 5 James Andrewes, violin, grew up in New Zealand, and graduated in 2011 with a Masters Degree in Early Music at Indiana University, where he studied baroque violin with Stanley Ritchie. James currently lives in Fort Worth, and performs with a variety of baroque groups in Texas and throughout the US. Marie-Élise McNeeley, violin, is a graduate of The Juilliard School of Music, the University of Michigan School of Music, and the Indiana University Historical Performance Institute. She has performed with period ensembles throughout the US, including the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, Baroque Band, and the Orchestra of New Spain. Bruce Colson, violin, winner of the Austin Critics Table 2017 award for Best Classical Instrumentalist, performs with the Austin Symphony, Austin Opera, Texas Early Music Project, Austin Baroque Orchestra, Britt Festival Orchestra, and the Victoria Bach Festival. Miguel Cantu, viola. performs with ensembles including the Dallas Bach Society, Orchestra of New Spain, Texas Camerata, Crested Butte Music Festival, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and is violist with Quartet Galant, a period instrument string quartet. As a mariachi violinist, Miguel was a featured soloist with the Dallas Wind Symphony, and performs with Mariachi Quetzal, collaborating with artists such as Norah Jones, the Toadies, and Brave Combo. Miguel attended Michigan State University and the University of North Texas. Stephanie Raby, violin, viola, is an active soloist and chamber musician and a specialist in early music performance. Ms. Raby earned a masters degree in Early Music at Indiana Jacobs School of Music and in 2015 she was a finalist in the Early Music International Young Artists Competition in York, England with her chamber ensemble Les Touches. She is currently the concertmaster for Austin Baroque Orchestra and a founding member of the chamber ensemble Les Touches and multimedia performing arts organization Lumedia Musicworks. John Walters, cello, received a degree in Music Education from the University of Texas at Austin. He studied cello under Michael Matesky and Paul Olefsky. He was a founding member of Austin’s popular group, The Clearlight Waites, and has been a core member of Texas Early Music Project since its inception. Pedro Funes, double bass, graduated from the University of Houston, and received his Master’s Degree in Early Music at Jacobs School of Music at Indiana Mr. Funes has performed across Texas with Ars Lyrica, Texas Early Music Project, and as Principal Bass with Austin Baroque Orchestra. Currently he is the President of Viols of Houston, President of Houston Early Music, and Director of the Young Players Weekend for the Viola da Gamba Society of America.