Carlsen Cello Foundation News Fall 2008 …putting cellos in the hands of deserving students

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OUR MISSION: We loan quality cellos to Oliver has studied composition with Professor students who have gone beyond the early stages. We David Clenman of the University of Victoria and know that many families cannot afford an instrument conducting with Roupen Shakarian. He has composed a that costs $5-15,000, so we loan such cellos long term, symphony movement and other pieces and regularly without repeated fees or other encumbrance. undertakes complex harmonic analyses of classical works of all kinds. OUR HOPE: We invite you to join this endeavor because it is so important. If you can Oliver does not attend school. He spends his contribute a cello or cash to the cause, it will be time practicing, improvising, listening, conducting or put to immediate use. If you wish only to receive playing by ear or from symphonic or operatic score. He Foundation Newsletters, such as this one, we welcome and his brother Lennon, also a musician, can often be that also. Please contact us via email, telephone, found in heated and passionate discussions about or at the address at the end of this letter. You can musical aesthetics and philosophy. Oliver also loves also make contributions through our website: skiing, kayaking, biking, and high mountains with snow www.carlsencellofoundation.org. Thank you! caps. His taste in reading these days tends towards biographies and musical analyses, particularly of Mozart, his favorite composer. PROFILE: Oliver Aldort MEETING THE GREATS: Lynn Harrell Oliver Aldort first met Ray Carlsen almost 5 years ago, at age 10. At that time, Dr. Carlsen awarded him a half-size cello. Although Oliver now plays a full- size Ravatin cello from the Foundation, this is clearly not the only way Oliver has grown. Oliver, who lives on Orcas Island, has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras in Washington, Boston, and British Colombia, and he is the winner of several state, regional and national music competitions. In 2007, he won the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National competition, has appeared on NPR’s “From the Top”, and performed the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto on

KOMO-TV at age 10. Oliver Aldort, Lynn Harrell & Ray Carlsen backstage at Benaroya Hall Last spring, Oliver was one of eight gifted young people found by search and DVD auditions from Early this October, the great cellist and around the world by RDF TV in the UK. In November, pedagogue Lynn Harrell performed the Shostakovich the eight meet in Miami for three days to record concerts Concerto No. 1 with the Seattle Symphony. Mr. Harrell and other events to be aired by RDFmedia. is one of the towering figures of the cello world. Through his gorgeous mastery of the instrument and his Oliver currently studies with world-renowned passionate dedication to teaching, Harrell provides a cellist Lynn Harrell. Asked about what that was like, precious link between the “greats” of the past with Oliver spoke about two particular aspects of their work whom he worked – , , together: learning what the composer was trying to say – and future generations of cellists. After and using this information in one’s interpretive choices; rehearsal, he taught students backstage at Benaroya Hall, and exploring the huge variety of colors, textures and including Oliver, and then took the time to meet with Dr. tones that create variety and expressiveness in playing. Carlsen. He had this to say about the Foundation:

Since his debut recital at age 7 after one year of “The Carlsen Cello Foundation provides a crucial lessons, Oliver has loved performing more than any service in today’s music world. It is unfortunately other aspect of his musical career. On November 23, he an absolute truth that the higher development of will perform the Dvorak Concerto with Philharmonia stringed instrument playing depends, at various Northwest and on December 16, the Schumann Concerto levels, on having a better instrument. The with the Northwest Academy Chamber Orchestra, for Foundation meets this pressing need so that the whom he is also principal cellist. As a cellist and a performing arts of the future can maintain the pianist, Oliver plays in chamber groups at the Academy vitality they have had in past generations. and elsewhere. And this year, through his one class at I applaud the generosity that can make a young the University of Washington, he also performs with doctoral candidates from the School of Music. talented person into a creative artist.”  PROFILE: Elliot and Carly Pearl-Sacks she was four, Carly knew much of the cello repertoire.

Of course it had to happen – the first Carlsen On his application, Elliot said that his musical Foundation brother-sister team. goal is to "play his cello for the rest of his life," which continues to be his hope. Sarah writes that “Both of them are good students, reasonably disciplined, comfortable performing, self-confident, and very close to us. Most of this, I attribute to their cello experiences.”

✭ ANOTHER WINNER: David Requiro

David Requiro won First Prize in the 2008 Naumberg International Cello Competition. The 23-year old cellist has played on a Carlsen Foundation instrument for 4 years. He is currently pursuing his Master of Music degree with Richard Aaron at the University of Michigan. Mr. Requiro’s award includes $6,000, a debut, recitals and orchestral Carly & Elliot Pearl-Sacks playing duets performances. David wrote earlier this year “none of on Carlsen Foundation cellos this would be possible without the help of the Foundation”. The Pearl-Sacks’ heard about the Carlsen Foundation while attending the Japan/Seattle Suzuki  UPCOMING EVENTS Institute. Elliot, now a sophomore, worked diligently to prepare his best audition tape. Carly had learned from 1) Central Cello Celebration Dr. Carlsen that he had a half-size which she might be November 7-8, 2008 able to use someday. When she thought she was ready, Central Washington University, Ellensburg Carly wrote to say that she was “on the last noch[sic] of www.cwustrings.com her quarter-size!” and asked if the cello might still be available. Their mother Sarah says that the half-size has 3rd biennial festival, founded and organized by made a huge difference in Carly’s playing. And now that cellist/teacher John Michel. Cellists celebrate their they're both playing Carlsen cellos, Carly and Elliot play accomplishments, rich cello repertoire, and duets almost every day. Sarah writes, “we took Dr. camaraderie. Includes masterclass with Cordelia Suzuki's requirement that ‘you only have to practice on Miedel, master cellist and teacher at University of Puget the days that you eat’ seriously, and the cellos have gone Sound; "Tips from the Masters" with Tim Janof, director with us on camping trips, to Europe twice, to remote of the Internet Cello Society; recitals and Cello Choir. lakes in the Cascades, …etc.” 2) 11th Annual Cremona Violinmaking Elliot was home-schooled through 6th, 7th, and Exhibition 8th grades so that he could participate in cello events November 15 through December 6, 2008 around the country, and so the family could travel David Kerr Violin Shop, Inc., Portland, OR together (both parents are airline people). He played in www.kerrviolins.com the Suzuki Honors Orchestra in Minneapolis and at the Features about 50 new Cremonese violins, National Cello Conference in Tempe, and he and Sarah violas and cellos and a unique collection of Italian traveled to twice for lessons with Amy cellos from 1820 to 1925. All instruments available for Barston. He has worked with Rajan Krishnaswami in viewing and acquisition. Opening reception: Saturday, Seattle since 2005. Their work these days focuses November 15, 3-5 p.m. (Everyone is invited) around getting repertoire ready for the 2009 Seattle Young Artists Music Festival.  AN EXTRAORDINARY GIFT*

Last June, Elliot traveled to Ometepe, Nicaragua We gratefully acknowledge the recent grant of (Bainbridge’s sister island) with a performance Marimba $5,000 from the Lucky Seven Foundation. Lucky Band from school that performed, taught, and built Seven supports, in general, efforts for “the betterment of marimbas for a group of Nicaraguan high schoolers. life in the Puget Sound basin”. We thank them for their Elliot is now interested in using his cello for community generosity; we acknowledge their insight and wisdom. service and “matching” himself up with people who ______cannot otherwise attend concerts. He has also come to love playing “in the pit” for Ovation!, Bainbridge Island’s musical theatre company. The Carlsen Cello Foundation angel was drawn by Audrey Carlsen, the daughter of founder/director Ray Carlsen. Carly, 10, studies cello with Barbara Balatero, and also loves to dance, draw, and write. She has two miniature horses and adores anything related to horses and animals in general. She recently organized her own  We wish everyone a holiday season party to raise money ($100) for the local PAWS chapter. filled with peace, joy, and music. 

Both siblings started playing when they were Carlsen Cello Foundation about 4 ½ years old. Elliot chose the cello because he 2330 130th Avenue NE Suite 201 liked the cello teacher best of the different teachers they Bellevue, WA 98005 met. Carly chose the cello because, well, what else (425) 455-9945 [email protected] could possibly be better than the cello? The first thing www.carlsencellofoundation.org Elliot did when Carly was brought home from the hospital was to play for her (he made a small mistake, *Please visit our website for regular updates from the Foundation and apologized to her, then played it again), and by the time to make contributions to help support our work. Thank you!