San Diego’s new organization, Art of Élan, is pioneering unique events and bringing back the excitement of classical music. Led by musicians Kate Hatmaker and Demarre McGill, Art of Élan is breaking down the barriers that surround classical music through its innovative, one-hour programming. The 2008-2009 season, entitled “A New World,” is the result of a unique collaboration with the San Diego Museum of Art, consisting of four, colorful concerts that are inspired by North American artwork. Each program offers a distinctive look at classical music, as it exists today in the “New World,” and promises to provide an engaging experience for the listener. By drawing inspiration from the word élan, which represents momentum, vigor and spirit, and providing an opportunity to connect directly with concert-goers, Art of Élan hopes to engage and energize audiences in new ways.

Thank you for being a part of the Art of Élan experience! Program

Tuesday, February 3rd 2009, 7 p.m. Hibben Gallery, San Diego Museum of Art

String Quartet No. 12 in F Major (“American”) Antonin Dvorak I. Allegro ma non troppo II. Lento III. Molto vivace IV. Vivace ma non troppo

Jeff Zehngut, violin Kate Hatmaker, violin Gareth Zehngut, viola Yao Zhao, cello

Octet in C Major I. Très modéré II. Très fougueux III. Lentement IV. Mouvement de Valse bien rythmée

Yumi Cho, Jeff Zehngut, Kate Hatmaker, Igor Pandurski violins Travis Maril and Gareth Zehngut violas Lars Hoefs and Yao Zhao cellos

We would like to express our gratitude to the Museum of Art for collaborating with us on “A New World” series. Additional thanks go to James Robbins, Toni Robin, Gordon J. Brodfuehrer, and our anonymous friends for their generosity and support of our mission. We would also like to thank our graphic designer, Ben Leggatt, for his wonderfully creative and colorful work. e are all aware of the special energy that exists in “firsts.” W Whether it’s the nervousness of a first piano recital, or the butterflies of a first kiss, these moments are essential to feeling alive. We felt that it would be dramatic and inspiring to create a program of “firsts.” “Portrait of Miss Sapoinikoff” was the first of the Russian painter Nicolai Fechin’s works to be shown in the United States. The “American “ String Quartet was written during Dvorak’s first trip to the U.S., and represents the first time a European composer used the New World as inspiration for writing a piece of chamber music. The “Octet,” written by Romanian composer George Enescu, was the first major work he composed out of school, when he was only 19 years old. Fortunately for us, the main ingredient that made these “firsts” so unique is perfectly preserved in the notes on the page and the paint on the canvas. So, with your enthusiasm, anticipation and imagination, we look forward to recreating the excitement of a Début!

Nicolai Ivanovich Fechin United States (born Russia), 1881-1955 “Portrait of Miss Sapoinikoff,” 1908 - Oil on canvas Gift of Mrs. John Burnham (1964:141) Compositions

Dvorak’s “American” String Quartet One of the most popular pieces of chamber music ever written, this string quartet was written during the summer of 1893, when Czech composer Antonin Dvorak was vacationing in Spillville, Iowa, home to a large population of Czech immigrants. Dvorak (1841-1904) had been teaching in New York City since 1892, but in the spring and summer of 1893 he composed this quartet and the famous “New World Symphony,” both of which reflect the African-American spirituals and other folk melodies that he encountered in the United States. While some would argue that this quartet was one of the first “postcards” from the New World, one can also detect a longing for his Czech homeland, certainly evident in the slow second movement of the quartet. Dvorak spent three years in the United States, and when asked about the works he composed during this time, he explained, “I should never have written these works ‘just so’ if I hadn’t seen America.” Enescu’s “Octet” for double string quartet Romanian composer George Enescu (1881-1955) was considered a child prodigy for his talents on both the violin and piano, but in writing this massive at the age of only 19, it became clear that Enescu accomplished many things at an early age. Written in 1900, just a handful of years after Dvorak’s “American” String Quartet, this was the first major work that Enescu composed after graduating from the Paris Conservatory. It is written in four movements, beginning with a powerful and haunting melody, which is played together by the entire ensemble minus the 2nd cellist, who acts as a motor for most of the piece. Like the Dvorak, there is a folk-like quality to the piece, with the first violin often sounding like a gypsy soloist within the ensemble. The second movement, a frenzied fugue, gives each of the instruments a chance to be heard, while the mysterious third movement provides just a bit of calm before the wild waltz movement that ends the entire piece. Incidentally, George Enescu lived during the exact same years as tonight’s featured painter, Nicolai Fechin (also 1881-1955) and spent a great deal of time in the United States in the later part of his life, teaching at the Mannes School of Music in New York City and guest conducting with several American orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic from 1937-1939.

*Program Notes by Kate Hatmaker Musicians

Yumi Cho A native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Yumi Cho is a graduate of the prestigious dual degree program between Barnard College/Columbia University and The Juilliard School. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Economics and Environmental Science and her Master of Music degree under the tutelage of Ronald Copes and Naoko Tanaka. She briefly studied with Pamela Frank as a full-scholarship Graduate Performance Diploma candidate at the Peabody Institute before joining the San Diego Symphony. Previous notable teachers include Dorothy DeLay, Tom Johnson and John Hong-Youl Kim. Over the years, Yumi has participated in the Verbier, La Jolla Summerfest, Cascade, Music Academy of the West, International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove, Aldeburgh, Pacific, New York String Seminar, Carnegie Hall Professional Workshop and Aspen music festivals. Aside from playing the violin, Yumi really enjoys baking.

Kate Hatmaker Kate Hatmaker is currently a violinist with the San Diego Symphony, in addition to being the co-founder and Artistic Director of Art of Élan. Ms. Hatmaker has played with a wide variety of American orchestras, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and the Pittsburgh “Live Chamber Orchestra,” which she helped promote in an effort to draw younger audiences to classical music. In addition to teaching in the San Diego area, Ms. Hatmaker is a frequent chamber music recitalist and has been a featured soloist with the San Diego Symphony and the Breckenridge Music Festival orchestras. She completed her Master of Music degree at Carnegie Mellon University, in the studio of Andres Cardenes, and her undergraduate training at both the University of Iowa and the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with high honors and degrees in both Political Science and French.

Lars Hoefs Lars Hoefs hails from Appleton, WI. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, Northwestern University, and earned both Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Southern California, studying cello with Ronald Leonard. At USC, Lars was teaching assistant for the Contemporary Music Ensemble, LA Weekly’s “Ensemble of the Year.” Formerly of the Blue Rose Trio, Lars has performed on four continents. Honors include top prizes in the Fischoff, MTNA, Coleman, and Peninsula Chamber Music Competitions. Lars is the program annotator for the Pasadena Symphony and a composer as well. He performs regularly with the California Quartet and Camerata Pacifica. 2008 summer performance highlights included solo appearances with orchestras in Rio de Janeiro, Barra Mansa, Salvador da Bahia, and the Amazonas Filarmônica in Manaus. Lars will move to Rio in March of 2009 to serve for a season as Assistant Principal Cellist of the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira.

Travis Maril With performances hailed as both “vivacious” and “highly polished and finely tuned,” violist Travis Maril is quickly gaining nationwide recognition as a chamber musician. With the Hyperion String Quartet he won a top prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, had performances broadcast on NPR’s Performance Today and collaborated with chamber music luminaries including the Miró String Quartet and members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Additional chamber music collaborators have included pianists Melvin Chen and Gustavo Romero, violinists Tai Murray and Timothy Fain and principal players of the Cincinnati and San Diego Symphonies. Mr. Maril plays frequently with the San Diego Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, and is currently on faculty at San Diego State University. Mr. Maril earned his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from the University of Southern California, where he was a Trustee Scholar and selected as an Outstanding Graduate, and his masters degree from Rice University. Igor Pandurski Igor Pandurski began violin study in his native Croatia and received a Bachelor’s degree from the Zagreb Music Academy. He went on to study with Camilla Wicks at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, earning a Master’s degree in violin performance. As a former member of Zagreb Philharmonic, Gaudeamus Chamber Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic (Norway), he toured Europe, USA and Japan. He was also a member of Houston Ballet Orchestra, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, San Diego Opera orchestra and is an active chamber musician. Currently, he is a violinist with the San Diego Symphony.

Gareth Zehngut Gareth Zehngut is a violist with the San Diego Symphony. Prior to joining the symphony, he received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Juilliard School in New York City, studying with Heidi Castleman, Misha Amory and Hsin-Yun Huang. Gareth has traveled and performed chamber music across the United States, including performances at the Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall. He has also performed throughout Europe. Gareth has served as principal viola of numerous orchestras, including the Juilliard Symphony, the Juilliard Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra.

Jeff Zehngut Jeffrey Zehngut is Associate Pincipal 2nd Violin of the San Diego Symphony. He studied with William Preucil and Paul Kantor at the Cleveland Institute of Music and with James Lyon at Penn State University. Jeff also enjoys playing with the San Diego and California Chamber Orchestras. Jeff spends his summers in Breckenridge, Colorado as a member of the Breckenridge Music Festival, and has attended the National Repertory Orchestra and Spoleto music festivals.

Yao Zhao Currently Principal Cello of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Zhao was previously the Associate Cello Principal, and prior to that, was a member of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. He is one of the youngest Chinese cello principals of any major symphony orchestra around the world and also one of the busiest musicians, performing more than one hundred and seventy concerts per season. Some of his festival appearances have included the Grand Teton Festival, the Ojai Music Festival, the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra in Korea and Japan and the Shanghai Festival Orchestra, which gathers top Chinese artists worldwide. Mr. Zhao is an artist of the Asia Pacific Arts Management Ltd. Upcoming Event Tuesday, April 28t h , 7 p.m.

The final installment of the 2008-2009 “A New World” series honors the great American tradition of jazz. Entitled “Improvisation,” this high-energy concert explores a variety of jazz-inspired works, as well as the tango-influenced “Last Round,” a passionate and seductive piece by Grammy award-winning Argentinean composer Osvaldo Golijov. Show your support If you enjoyed this concert tonight, please join our family of supporters. Contributions of any kind are much appreciated, as even $25 can help us continue to provide exciting concerts. We believe that with our energy, innovative programming ideas, and genuine desire to share classical music with a wider audience, we can change the cultural climate of San Diego. We don’t need a million dollars to do it, but we do need your help and support. Please visit our website to learn more about how to “get involved,” and we hope to see you at a future concert!

Art of Élan is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and, as such, all contributions are fully tax-deductible. Tax ID: 20-8136710

élan: momentum, surge, burst (of ) vigor, spirit

3730 First Avenue #1 • San Diego, California 92103 P: 619.692.2081 • www.ArtofElan.org